His eyes bounce between mine before his features soften. “I would never, Siren. You’re safe with us. Can you breathe for me?”
I nod quickly, swallowing past the bile that threatens to rise. He makes the motions with me, taking deep breaths in and letting them out slowly. He doesn’t even complain about the ice-cold water drenching us. He’s entirely focused on me.
Another hand slicks my wet hair away from my face, and my eyes dart to Kairo’s wildly concerned ones. He’s raking his irises all over me as if he’s checking for any damage. His hand rubs across a tender spot on the back of my head, and I shiver.
“She’s hurt,” Kairo says, his voice a concerned whisper. “There’s a knot.”
“How do her pupils look?” Maddox asks as he peeks over the blonde’s shoulder.
I swallow past the emotion clogging my throat. “Can…can I get out of the shower?”
Roman trudges out of the water, and the cool air hits me as he brings us back into the bedroom. He sits me gently on the bed, and the water sloshing off me soaks into the sheets. All three men flutter around me. Kairo pulls my robe out of the closet while Maddox squats in front of me with a thick plush towel. Roman gingerly begins to pull my wet clothes off me until they slap to the floor. Maddox dries my hair and body with soft touches. Meanwhile, my eyes droop with exhaustion. My shoulders curl forward slightly as a weight settles over my limbs.
I haven’t felt this powerless since the night I wandered numbly into town and found Charlie’s house. Those dreams always refresh the old wounds of my past. It’s something I can’t escape. No matter how hard I try.
“I know you’re tired,” Maddox says quietly as Kairo slips my robe over my shoulders. “But we need to make sure you don’t have a concussion. How about I make you some tea?”
I don’t normally drink it, but with the chill that’s settling in my bones, I could go for something to warm me up. I nod, afraid to speak. I don’t feel strong enough to talk without breaking down.
Roman wedges his hands underneath me, and I stop him. “I…I can walk…”
He makes a gruff sound in the back of his throat as he hoists me up bridal-style again. “Let us take care of you, Rosalie. You’ve been through enough tonight.”
If I were in any other state, I might have argued, but as his warmth wraps around me and his strong arms hold me close, I find myself melting into him. For the first time, I realize that my bodyguards no longer smell like the thick cologne they used to wear. This new smell, something subtle and masculine, wraps around me, and it feels like pure comfort. There isn’t a sharpness to it anymore, and it causes me to sink further into his chest. I let my cheek turn into his chest as he walks down the stairs with me.
Maddox flicks on a few low lights, careful not to overwhelm me as he heads for the kitchen. Roman eases onto the sofa, curling me up to him as he rubs a soothing hand over my back. Kairo sits at my feet, pulling my limbs onto his lap as his fingers ghost over my bare skin. We stay quiet, sitting in the blanketed silence that grips my bubble.
They’re being so sweet…
It’s embarrassing that they saw me like that. Only Charlie has seen what my nightmares do to me, but I can’t seem to find it in me to care. This reaction isn’t what I was expecting at all, but it’s so…nice.
Maddox comes back from the kitchen, holding a steaming cup out to me. “Two packets of Splenda.”
The same way I drink my coffee.
I take it with shaky hands, giving him a small appreciative smile before I let the warm liquid wash down my throat. It’s good, with a subtle fruit flavor. I take a few more sips before letting my head rest on Roman’s chest.
He takes the cup from me, setting it aside as Maddox eases onto the floor in front of me. They’re all staring at me, and the whole article I read about communication circles my head. I know they aren’t expecting my life story, but they have to know. I need to get this off my chest before they take the leap without knowing what they’re going headfirst into.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Rosalie
“I’ve been abused all my life…” I begin, taking a deep breath. “My mom abandoned me at the hospital with my aunt. She left me in the hands of a woman who never wanted to be a mother, and my Aunt Kathy handed me over to my dad. He had no idea how to raise an infant while in active addiction, and it made for a horrible upbringing.”
Kairo rubs his hand over his eyes, sitting forward as he rests his elbows on his knees. Maddox is staring into me, his face soft and concerned. Roman’s hand stalls over my back, but I continue.
“I won’t go into detail over what he did, but it was so bad that I often have night terrors about it. I don’t think they’ll ever go away.” I clear my throat, working past the building emotion. “When I left Mystic, before graduation, I was in a very dark place…” This next part is something I don’t like talking about. It almost cost me my future, and it’s hard to think about. I never want to be in that position again. “I tried to kill myself—”
“Fucking Christ,” Maddox curses, standing as he tucks his hands behind his head. He paces for a moment, his eyes closed as if he needs to gather his thoughts.
Kairo stares at my legs unblinkingly, his chest rising and falling deeply. “How…how did you do it?”
“Kairo,” Roman snaps, sounding like he’s on the verge of a mental break, but I hold a hand up to him.
“I need to say this,” I mumble, playing with my hands in my lap. I take a deep breath, unable to look them in the eyes. “I took a bunch of sleeping pills, the ones prescribed to me by my doctor. Charlie found me in our dorm and rushed me to thehospital. They had to pump my stomach, and I was admitted with the intention of being sent to a sanitarium. I was held for seventy-two hours before being brought to a mental health hospital. I was there for a week and released with strict instructions to find a therapist and get mental health care. It took Charlie pushing me in the right direction to take the leap. I haven’t looked back since…”
There’s a string of profound reactions I never would have expected from the three men who tormented me long ago. Maddox squats down, burying his face in his hands as he shakes his head. Kairo stays sitting forward, his elbows digging into his knees as he presses his intertwined fingers to his lips. My gaze finally shifts to Roman, and I stop breathing altogether. His eyes are glassy as he rubs a hand across his mouth.
