“You’re Ryan’s person, which means you’re family now. We don’t turn our backs on family.”
My throat completely closed up, and the burning in my eyes came to a head. A hot tear slid down my cheek without my permission, but it didn’t get far.
Ryan cupped my face in his hands and gently kissed the wetness away.
Right in front of fucking everyone.
“See, angel? You’re not alone. We’re all in this together. Stay here with us. Tell Damian you’re done, and let me take care of you.”
I blinked at this amazing man who, barely a month ago, had been screaming at me to get out of his life. He was now telling me he was willing toriskthat life so I could stay here with him.
“Let’s give them some privacy,” Iris whispered, and everyone filed out of the room, leaving me alone with my ginger snap.
He grinned at me and made a waving motion with his hand.
“Scootch over; your breakfast is getting cold. If you don’t dig in soon, I’m going to have to spoon-feed you.”
I choked on a laugh but did as he said and carefully slid over to make room for him while doing my best not to topple anything over on the tray.
“You’re being pretty bossy. When I’m all healed up, I’m going to have to fuck you back into submission. You know that, right?”
Ryan’s eyes glittered with a sort of heated amusement, and he grinned at me.
“You haveno ideahow much I’m looking forward to that.” He hummed, and my cock twitched between my legs at the huskiness in his voice.
“Better eat and get your strength up so you can teach me a lesson.” He winked, and I couldn’t help the low rumble that rolled through my chest.
“Careful, ginger snap. You keep saying shit like that, and I’m gonna end up ripping a stitch.”
He laughed and leaned forward, kissing me gently on the lips.
“Eat your breakfast, you psycho,” he murmured against me, and I sighed into his mouth.
As terrified as I was that this was a horrible mistake that was going to blow up in my face, I wasn’t strong enough to fight it anymore.
For the first time since that day in the precinct at ten years old, I allowed myself to share the load.
I let Ryan convince me that we were all going to be okay, and I leaned into the safety his promises offered me.
Maybe, just this one time, it was okay for me to be selfish.
Just this once…
Alexa, play: Medicine - Daughter
Ifell asleep almost immediately after eating. My body felt like it was made of lead and sharp pieces of glass. Everything was heavy, and I hurt, but I was almost too tired to care about it. As I drifted in and out of sleep, I was vaguely aware of Ryan coming in to check on me. Around what felt like mid-day, he woke me up, telling me I needed to eat again.
I managed to eat the soup he brought me and gulped down some more pills. T3s and an antibiotic, he told me.
I think I asked him what the antibiotic was for, but my eyes were so heavy, and I felt so warm and safe with him stroking my hair beside me that I didn’t hear him answer. Before I knew it, Ihad passed out again, snuggled into Ryan’s cool silk sheets with his fingers stroking through my hair.
I wokeup in the tub.
Frowning, I jerked my chains, panic rising into my chest.
No, no, no…How did I get here? I was just with Ryan!
“Mr. Walker.” Fear shot through my veins as I raised my eyes to see Damian sitting on the edge of the tub, looking down at me with that sadistic look he always seemed to get in his eyes when he was about to hurt me.
