She'd fallen asleep about an hour into the journey, her medication finally pulling her under. The doctors had warned us she'd be drowsy, and had explained in clinical terms how the cocktail of painkillers, antibiotics, and mild sedatives would affect her. But nothing had prepared me for how vulnerable she looked in sleep, how fucking small. Her hair, now faded and dull, lacking any of that signature purple that she fought us so hard for, fell across her face, and occasionally she would twitch, her brow furrowing as if even in unconsciousness, she couldn't escape the memories.
"How is she?" Logan's voice was low, careful not to disturb her as he half-turned in his seat. I stroked a strand of hair away from her face, my touch feather-light.
"Still asleep," I murmured. "Restless, though." Logan nodded, his eyes lingering on Cade's sleeping form. The bruises on her face had faded to a sickly yellow-green, but they were still visible, still a stark reminder of what she'd endured. I saw his jaw clench, the familiar muscle jumping beneath his skin as he fought to control his rage.
"Lynch sent word," he said after a moment. "Security's been tripled at Covenant. He's got men patrolling the perimeter, andthere's a team dedicated solely to monitoring Damien's known associates."
"Any leads?" I asked, the question burning in my throat. We all knew what I was really asking:Have they found him yet?Logan shook his head, a flash of frustration crossing his features.
"Nothing solid. They tracked him to Dover, but the trail went cold. Lynch thinks he might have left the country."
"Fucking coward," Cole muttered from the driver's seat, the first words he'd spoken in hours. "Running like the piece of shit he is." I felt my fingers curl into a fist, nails digging into my palm. The thought of Damien out there somewhere, free, while Cade lay broken beside me, made my blood boil. But I forced myself to relax, to unclench my hand before my tension could disturb her.
"They'll find him," I said, with more confidence than I felt. "Lynch won't stop until he does."
"And when they do," Logan added, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "he's ours."
The promise hung in the air between us, dark and binding. None of us needed to elaborate. We all knew what would happen when, not if, but when Damien McIntyre was found, what we would do to him. The slow, agonizing death he would suffer for every mark he'd left on Cade's body, every scream he'd torn from her throat, every piece of her spirit he'd tried to break.
Cade stirred against me, a small whimper escaping her lips. Immediately, I shifted my focus back to her, murmuring soft, nonsensical words until she settled again. Her fingers clutched at my shirt, seeking an anchor even in sleep, and my heart clenched painfully in my chest.
"How are we going to do this?" Cole asked, his eyes meeting mine briefly in the rearview mirror. "When we get back, I mean. How do we help her through this?" It was the question that hadbeen haunting all of us, the one none of us had a real answer for. How did you help someone heal from something so horrific? How did you erase six weeks of torture and degradation? The truth was, you couldn't. All we could do was be there, offer support, and hope that somehow, someday, the Cade we knew, fierce, defiant, full of life, would find her way back to us.
"One day at a time," I said finally, echoing what the trauma specialist at the hospital had told us. "We follow her lead. Let her set the pace. And we don't leave her alone." Logan nodded, his expression grim but determined.
"And we find the bastard who did this to her."
"And we make him suffer," Cole added, his voice cold with promise. I looked down at Cade's sleeping face, at the fragile trust she'd placed in us by allowing herself to rest against me, and felt a surge of protectiveness so fierce it was almost painful. "Yes," I agreed softly. "We make him suffer."
The rest of the journey passed in relative silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts, our own guilt, our own plans for vengeance. The winter sky darkened early, and by the time we approached Regents University, night had fallen; the campus was lit up with the last few Christmas lights still not taken down. The new term started in a few days, and I was all too aware of how far behind I had gotten while searching for Cade. I wasn’t bothered, though, even with the incessant voice messages from my father every other day. None of that mattered; all that mattered was our girl feeling safe again.
Cade began to stir as Cole turned onto the long, tree-lined street leading to Covenant House. Her breathing changed, becoming faster, more shallow, and I knew she was waking up. I kept my arm around her, a steady presence as she blinked back into consciousness.
"Poison?" I murmured, using the nickname I knew she secretly liked, though she'd never admit it. "We're almost home." Her eyes fluttered open, disoriented at first, then widening as she took in her surroundings. I felt her body tense against mine, her pulse racing beneath my fingers where they rested against her wrist.
"It's okay," I soothed, keeping my voice low and gentle. "You're safe. We're just pulling up to Covenant now." She nodded, but the fear in her eyes didn't diminish. If anything, it intensified as the familiar outline of Covenant House came into view, its imposing stone façade lit up against the night sky. I could practically feel her thoughts racing, the memories that must be flooding back, not just of her time in captivity, but of everything that had happened here before. The punishment. The branding.
Cole pulled the car to a stop in the driveway, cutting the engine. For a moment, none of us moved, the silence heavy with unspoken tension. Then Logan turned in his seat, his expression softening as he looked at Cade.
"Welcome home, Princess," he said, his voice gentler than I'd ever heard it. "You ready?" Cade swallowed visibly, her hand finding mine and squeezing so tight it almost hurt.
"I don't know," she admitted, her voice small and hoarse. "I don't know if I can do this."
"You can," I assured her, returning her squeeze. "And you're not doing it alone. We're right here with you. All of us." She took a deep, shuddering breath, then nodded once, a tiny gesture of courage that made my chest ache with pride and sorrow.
"Okay," she whispered. "Let's go."
Cole was the first out of the car, moving around to open the door for Cade while Logan retrieved her bag from the trunk. I slid out first, then offered my hand to help her, careful not to rush her or make her feel crowded. She hesitated for just amoment before taking it, her fingers ice-cold despite the car's heating. The front door of Covenant House opened before we reached it, spilling warm light onto the steps. Rosa stood in the doorway, her round face creased with worry and relief. Behind her, I could see several of the housemen gathered in the entrance hall, their expressions a mix of curiosity, concern, and awkward uncertainty.
"Miss Turner," Rosa breathed, her eyes filling with tears as she took in Cade's fragile appearance. "Thank God. Thank God you're home." Cade managed a small, strained smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Hello, Rosa," she said softly.
I felt her grip on my hand tighten as we approached the door, her steps becoming more hesitant with each foot closer to the house. Rosa, bless her, seemed to sense Cade's discomfort and stepped back, giving her space to enter on her own terms.
"I've made up your room with fresh linens," Rosa said, her voice wavering slightly with emotion. "And there's soup warming in the kitchen if you're hungry. Nothing too heavy, just like the doctor said." Cade nodded, but I could feel her trembling beside me. As we stepped into the entrance hall, the housemen moved forward, their faces lighting up with genuine relief at seeing her.
"Cade! Welcome back!"
