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Lips twitching even though none of this is funny, I nod. “I'll keep that in mind,” I tell him as Grayson opens the door. “Hey, Baby.”

“Hey yourself, Dangerous Girl. I was starting to get a little worried,” he says as he opens the door wide.

“Cinder kept me waiting, and then I got waylaid by some Underground rebel misogynist assholes who want to make me queen,” I explain, tears starting to creep into my voice. Dammit, I was doing so well.

“Deep breath, Little Love. It’s obvious you’ve been through so much since you last saw us. I need to look you over. Can we take this to the bedroom? I think I left Silla’s bags out front. Someone go grab them before they’re taken, please?” Sidney asks.

I didn’t even realize that he’d left them when I fell, or that I had dropped them.

“They’re out there,” Andrya says, looking out the window. “I’ll go grab them.”

Sidney walks me into a bedroom, and I find it’s one of three. Sitting me on the edge, he drops to his knees to look at my feet.

“Ayden, grab my herbal and medical bag?” he calls out.

Bringing it in quickly, Ayden hands it to him. Sitting next to me, he holds out his hand. “Squeeze as hard as you need,” he whispers.

Nodding, even as my lips twist at how sweet he is, I watch Sidney as he pulls out some cream.

“There’s still some angry welts on your feet, so I’m going to put this cream on them. They’re healing up well, why didn’t Cinder’s healers give you pain medication?” Sidney asks.

Hissing as the cool lotion is slathered and worked into my feet, I slowly start to relax as I begin to feel relief. “If you’re going to punish someone, you don’t want them to feel better. The long lasting memory reinforces the supposed lesson,” I explain. Shifting, I wince as all of my other pains begin to flare up.

“What else hurts?” Ayden asks, his thumb moving over the back of my hand.

“The better question is what doesn’t,” I grimace. “I was whipped with a cane for a long time before a new fresh hell was introduced. It’s not the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m fi—”

“Don’t finish that sentence, Silla,” Grayson growls, standing outside of the door. “I should have known she’d do this shit. I don’t know how I could have protected you from it.”

“You don’t. It’s the other way around,” I tell him.

As his eyes heat with anger, I avoid them, looking down at Sidney.

“You’re poking a bear you shouldn’t, Pet. Let me see your back?” he asks.

Wincing, I bite my lip. “I need help getting undressed. I… I’m still really sore.”

“That’s fine, we’ll get you out of this hideous dress, and I’ll have you lay on your stomach,” he soothes.

Nodding, I begin to turn to offer my back, so he can get the zipper. Scrambling to his feet, Sidney shakes his head. “I’ll get it, just sit there and be perfect, Pet.”

I’ve missed them all so, so much.

Unzipping my dress carefully, his finger traces my skin reverently, which makes my tears escape. I love him so much, and yet I hate myself. I’m such a broken shell of who I used to be.

“Am I hurting you, or are you feeling overwhelmed?” Sidney asks as he pulls my dress down.

“Overwhelmed,” I whisper. “You’re not hurting me. My bags don’t have anything comfortable, and I’m pretty sure I just want to burn it all. Lana packed my clothes, and anything that she touches…”

“Makes me want to cut her hands off,” Andrya snarls, popping her head in, pushing Grayson the Mountain out of the way. “Move, you oaf!”

“You’re tiny enough to go around, little minx,” he chuckles.

Rolling her eyes, she ducks around Gray, walking to me. “What do you want to wear? Joggers, shorts, long-sleeves, pajamas, nothing?"

Smirking through my tears as I move my hips up to push the dress to the floor, I say, “Soft pajamas sound good. I need to go shopping for ‘normal people’ clothes. I also need to open up a chat to see if the prick who leads the Underground is serious about meeting with me.”

Brushing her lips gently along my forehead, she whispers, “That’s my girl. You fucking fight. We aren’t afraid of your tears, either.”