“George didn’t start hitting me until after they were married. If they wanted to get rid of me, they could have just sent me to boarding school, but they didn’t want to waste their money. He started slapping it into me that he was the head of the house and I was only there because of his kindness.”
“And your mother did nothing?” Bas asked, his voice deadly soft.
“Nope. She wanted him more than me. It went on for years, but in that time at least I got to go to school. She got pregnant,and I was almost old enough to leave home. I just needed to wait it out.”
Bridget rubbed at her arm, where it had already begun to ache. She had to tell him. Had to get it over with, so if he was disgusted by her, she wouldn’t have let her feelings go far enough to have a broken heart over him. Bas leaned against the back counter, letting her have space.
“The night I was going to leave, everything was in place. I thought they would be happy to have me finally gone. George lost it. He had expected me to look after the baby. Keep the house clean. Be his idea of a good daughter and not leave his home until he found a suitable husband for me. I told him legally he couldn’t stop me, and then he really lost it.
“The baby was crying in the crib beside me as George laid into me. Broke my arm and some ribs. I had a moment where I thought,This is it.This is the night he kills me. But I was lucky. Stupid lucky. The fae returned that night. They hit London so fast, there hadn’t been any warnings. George was ripped off me. Two fae, a man and a woman, had come to collect the baby. They had killed my mother on the way in,” Bridget swallowed hard and dared to look at him.
“They held George and gave me their knife. They really didn’t like that he was beating a child. They said it was justice. I was angry. I took the knife, and I stuck it into George’s heart. They took the baby and the bodies away. Everything is a bit of a blur after that. The cops and ambulance came and saw the mess. Knew the bodies would be hanging beside the river like all the rest.”
Bas let out a soft sound. “Fuck, Bridget. That’s the reason you said that they saved you.”
“Theydidsave me. I got all of George’s and Mom’s money. Sold their fancy apartment in London, and I got the fuck out of there. Changed my name so no one could ever find me. Not thatI thought anyone would really come looking. I wanted to start a new life here, and I have. And that’s the big dark secret, Bas. No one has ever wanted me, and I killed my stepfather and let everyone believe it was the fae. I don’t regret it. I would do it again.”
“Good,” Bas said, bringing her up short.
“That’s not the reaction I thought you would have.”
Bas pushed off the counter and approached her slowly, like she was a skittish animal he didn’t want to scare. “You are a survivor, and I don’t blame you for killing him. In fact, it’s good that he’s not still alive because I would do more to him than give him a quick death.”
His eyes were glowing, and now Bridget knew that it was his dragon side shining through. It look pissed.
“Yeah? I thought you wouldn’t...that you would be horrified. You guys are such nice people, and you keep saying shit like ‘Welcome to the family,’ and you have no idea that I’m a murderer,” Bridget rambled.
“We don’t consider that murder, love. That’s self-defense. You’re so fucking strong. Of course, we want you in this family. You are an incredible person and are going to be an amazing magician,” Bas said, cupping her cheeks with his big hands. “You are perfect for me, and if you think your past is enough for me to let you go, you’re very wrong. You’re mine, Bridget Hawkyns, and I don’t care if I have to spend the next hundred years proving it.”
Bridget’s eyes filled with horrible, hot tears. “Please, kiss me before I make a damn fool of myself.”
Bas obliged her by laying soft kisses on her cheeks and nose before taking her mouth with his. It was rum and smoke and so much tenderness that a few tears of relief slipped out anyway. He was gentle with her, treating her like she was something to be savored and treasured.
“Hmm, that’s right. You are a treasure.Mytreasure. And don’t you forget it,” Bas said, wiping her tears away with a brush of his thumbs.
Bridget rested her forehead against his chest. “You really need to teach me how to not throw my thoughts at you,” she sniffed. “I can’t be thinking of brick walls all day.”
Bas kissed the top of her head. “I can if you want, but I like your thoughts. I’ll never go walking about in your head without permission either. Unless you want me to.”
“And when would I want you to?” Bridget asked with a soft laugh.
Bas brushed his mouth over her ear, and her fingers tightened in his shirt.
“Ninety percent, remember?” he whispered.
Goose bumps broke out over her arms. “How could I forget.”
20
The timer on the oven went off, and Bas reluctantly left the warmth of Bridget’s arms. Kissing her had helped settle his dragon, who had been ready to murder everything during Bridget’s story.
He knew she had lived through something horrible, but knowing the details made him feel very glad that her stepfather was already dead.
Bas had always considered himself a decent person. Now he knew that the only reason why he was going to stay that way was that his Bridget had killed her tormentor for herself.
Bas now understood why Kian had torn apart a military base to get to Elise and why Taranis had been so furious over the idea of Quinn using herself as bait to lure out the Fomorian mage. When it came to your mate, there was no thinking straight when it concerned their safety.
Bas knew he couldn’t fight against the truth anymore. Bridgetwashis mate, and he would have to tread carefully not to lose her.
