He steps up behind me, resting his big palm on my lower back. ‘They were never taught how to,’ his hand begins to stroke up and down my back in a soothing motion. ‘This was their homebefore we all moved in, and even then they were treated like a pest. We’d destroyed so much land building these ugly cities, so many animals lost their natural habitats. Then we had the nerve to act as if the wildlife was the problem, when all they were trying to do was find a place to call home after we’d destroyed every one they’d ever had.’ He shakes his head. ‘Every creature deserves the chance to give their child the best start to life. Some just need a little helping hand to begin with. Pigeons were abandoned by us after we stopped finding them useful, its not their fault that we never taught them how to prepare for their eggs.’
Bloody hell, this man is deep. And R.I.P to my hormonal heart because I think I’m seriously about to burst into tears because some pigeons don’t know how to make a home for their babies.
And this man, this strange and wild man is helping them learn.
Chapter nineteen
Liam
Ah shite. I think I’ve broken her again. What the hell is wrong with me? How do I keep breaking this incredible woman?
One second we were looking at each other like we were all those months ago, seconds away from ripping each other’s clothes off and now she’s choking out small sobs. I’m pretty sure she’s trying to smother them with her hand, acting like she’s not crying and I’m at a loss for what to do.
‘Are you alright, princess?’ I cautiously ask, scared I might cause even more harm.
‘It’s just so sad.’ She wails, startling me.
I’ve definitely broken her.
Ruaridh’s going to kill me once he finds out.
This is the first time she has actively sought me out since moving into the stadium and I’ve spent most of that time distracting myself from barging through her bedroom door, picking her up and moving her and the baby she is growing in with me. So how the fuck have I managed to upset her — upset doesn't even sound like an accurate enough account of how devastated her sobs sound — in the matter of five minutes?
‘Hey, hey. Don’t cry, baby.’ Turning her to try and get a look at her tear-filled emerald green eyes, ‘They’re happy as larry.’
Isla sniffles, looking back at the cooing pigeons, some of whom are building their nests.
‘See, they’re little fighters.’
That doesn’t do much to settle her down, somehow it gives her a new wave of sadness, her sobs getting stuck in her throat as she tries to speak.
‘They are just … so… cute,’ Isla sobs, tears streaming down her face. ‘They don’t deserve not to be loved.’
‘Princess,’ I gather her into my arms. ‘They are incredibly loved.’
Her tears soak into my shirt, but I don’t mind, I just want to hold her, checking she is alright. Soothing the back of her hair as her crying eases.
‘You promise?’
‘I promise, baby.’
She buries her face further into my chest.
‘I can show you if you like?’
Isla peeks up at me from beneath her waterlogged lashes. God she’s so beautiful, her green watery eyes are like the reflection of a freshly bloomed forest.
‘Show me?’ She asks curiously.
I gently guide her in front of me, her back nestling perfectly in my chest as we slowly approach the flock. There are only a few of the birds here now, some of them having wandered off, takingwhatever supplies I had left for them to their respective nesting spots. They’ve come so far since we moved into the stadium, and the pride I feel seeing them thrive every day is immense.
‘Why don’t you sit just there,’ I point at the blanketed area. ‘And I’ll introduce you to Hilda.’
Isla perches on the blanket, not the least bit phased by the mess around her. We try to keep the place clean, but they are animals after all.
‘Hilda?’
Reaching over, I offer my palm for her to climb onto. ‘C’mon girl, there you go.’
