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“Yes,” Cooper confirms, his cheek pressed against mine.

Talking about this is helping to distract me, but my skin feels too tight and my eyes are burning.

“Then yes,” I say, my voice cracking.

“You’re doing so good,” Ethan croons. “Do you want your nest in an attic or in a bedroom? The attic would have lower ceilings, and we could easily change out the glass in the windows so that they have a more filtered light coming in.”

“Oh,” I say, trying to decide. “I’ve never had a nest before. I don’t know anything about them.”

“We can design it together, I just need to know so I can ensure that the attic is usable,” Riley explains.

“Yes then,” I say. “I really like the columns that some of the porches have. It would be fun to have hanging plants and a swing too.”

“Good, good,” Cooper murmurs. “I need something to do. Give me shit to build, baby.”

A half laugh escapes that is strangely close to a sob, and he holds me tighter.

“What color do you want your house?” he asks.

“White with a navy blue door,” I rasp. “I want a separate bedroom where we can all sleep together that’ll fit a huge bed. I don’t want to sleep alone.”

“Never,” he promises. “How many bedrooms?”

Forcing myself to breathe, I whimper as it becomes difficult. “Six,” I squeak out.

“I kind of want to know why, but I can ask you later,” Riley grunts. “There’s a house I saw that had all of this on the market. I troll the real estate sites on my breaks believe it or not. Do you want a garden, Nina? We’ll pay for someone to take care of it if you want, but this house has pretty paved walkways along a huge backyard with a garden.”

“How did I get so lucky?” I sob, breaking. “You’re all so wonderful.”

“We’re wonderful to you, Princess,” Cooper corrects. “The rest of the world can burn for all I care.”

“Yeah it could,” Ethan sighs. “We’ll get working on the house?—”

A knock on the door cuts him off, and I shudder at the sound.

“It’s not for long,” Cooper whispers reassuringly. “You’ll be back with us before the clock strikes midnight, baby. Sooner depending on how long it takes for us to kill your cunt mother.”

Riley clears his throat while Cooper shrugs.

“I was married to the bitch,” he growls. “I can call her whatever I want. Okay. Breathe for me, Nina. Nice and deep. Do it.”

The last words have the power of an alpha bark, and I find the vise around my lungs loosens so I can breathe. I’m grateful for it, and I take several deep breaths for my alpha.

“Now dry your eyes for me,” he murmurs. Riley grabs the tissue box, and I blot at my eyes. I’m leaking all over the place. “Now put your wig on, and don’t let her get to you. Answer her questions, show off your bite marks, and tell her you’re tired, okay?”

Nodding, I take the wig woodenly from Ethan and put my wig on. Standing on autopilot, I check the mirror to make sure it’s on correctly, and it immediately feels as if I’m a different person.

I hate this fucking thing.

“Think of it as armor, baby,”Cooper growls through the bond.

He’s right. Piece by piece, I’m putting myself back together to walk into her house. I can’t even say it’s mine anymore, because she’s ruined everything I loved about it.

Ethan stands to answer the door, and Riley helps me put on my coat, mittens, and knit hat.

“Nina,” Silas says from the door, his eyes tortured as I meet them. “I’m so sorry. If I could, I’d tell her to go fuck herself.”

“I know,” I whisper. I don’t trust my voice. Not because I carewhat my voice teacher would say, but because I’m afraid of breaking down again.