Page 43 of Beyond Repair, Part One (Damaged Duet #1)

Kai

" T ake a sip, baby." Trevor tilts the glass of water, giving Nina no choice but to gulp or get soaked. "Good girl."

It hurts, physically fucking hurts to watch her trembling on Ridge's lap. His hands shake and his left knee bounces with barely restrained anxiety. He clings to our girl like if he can hold on hard enough, he can keep both himself and her from falling apart.

Witnessing Nina's pure terror when our neighbor’s golden retriever waltzed into our yard is something that will stick with me forever.

How many times did her eyes widen and all the blood drain from her face during those two years?

The dried up blood on her skin from the bushes makes me wonder how much she's lost in her lifetime.

Buckets? A fucking river? How much goddamn blood did that monster steal from my woman? !

"Deep breath in," Trevor coos, "and out. You too, Kai."

Hearing my name snaps me out of my downward spiral.

I lock eyes with Trevor who kneels in front of Nina and Ridge on our living room rug.

He mimics a deep breath and his eyes implore me to follow his lead.

The breath I take feels like a shudder in my chest, but I keep at it until the twisting sensation in my gut and head is gone.

Trev nods at me and focuses his attention back on Nina who's struggling to regulate her panicked breathing. "You got it, Neen. It's just us here. Nobody's going to hurt you."

"Where is it?!" she gasps out, eyes flinging around wildly. My god, is that what she looked like when she woke up in that hell for the first time?

"Nina." Henry grabs her chin to get her attention. He's been gently dabbing her small cuts and dirty knees for the past few minutes since we got her inside. "Willow's owners, our neighbors, came and got her. She's not going to hurt you."

My chest clenches as I get a good look at the way her eyes are begging Henry to understand.

Sitting beside her and Ridge, my fiancé uses his pinky to pet her jaw.

The urge to continue pacing behind the couch is strong, but I force myself to stay in the present and try to be helpful. How the fuck are they so calm?

"It was coming for me!" she cries, tears streaming down her cheeks. My heart bleeds, matching every drop of her pain.

Henry shakes his head. "No, pretty girl. Willow's a goofy, fun-loving golden retriever. She was coming to say hi to us."

Nina's chin wobbles while she processes Henry's explanation. Willow really is a sweet dog. A little slobbery and thinks she's smaller than she actually is, but she's a sweetheart.

"But...Why was she running toward me l-like that?" her voice cracks along with my soul. Nina used to love dogs—all animals, really. What happened to you, my flora?

From my spot behind them, I watch Ridge drop his chin to her dainty shoulder and bury his nose in her neck. "Willow has an annoying amount of energy. The most she would have done is jump up on you and drown you in drool."

Ridge isn't the biggest fan of the dog next door, but I've never held it against him.

There's something about Willow that overstimulates him and sends his anxiety spiking.

I get it, and it's not like he's ever mean to the sweet pup.

Never once has she been aggressive or bitten someone to my knowledge.

Oh fuck . My throat feels like gravel as the possibility of why she's so afraid of dogs finally sets in. "Nina, the scar on your leg..." I can't finish my thought. It couldn't have been...

Glancing at me, Nina looks ready to either burst into tears or throw up.

I hate pressuring her to talk about the past, but I think we need to know some stuff.

Especially her triggers. We could have prevented her panic attack had we known.

That right there, not knowing and being unable to help, is what drives me to push her.

Bending so my forearms are braced on the back of the couch and our faces are a foot apart, I capture Nina's tortured gaze with my own. "What happened to your leg?"

"Kai..." Henry murmurs cautiously, but I don't break eye contact with Neen. Does he already know?

To my fiancé, I say, "We need to know, Hen. How can we help before a panic attack if we have no information?"

Annoyance flares when Trevor moves on her other side and distracts her for a moment, then he adds his own two cents. "Kai's right, baby. You need to give us something ."

"But...why?" she whispers.

Ridge jolts back from snuggling her neck with a look of shock and rage on his face.

"Why? Why ?! 'Cause that was fucking terrifying, Nina!

You went from being happy and relaxed to absolutely terrified and running for your life.

Then we couldn't find you because of that goddamn overgrown tree.

When we did find you, there was blood dripping from your arms and legs, and you were hyperventilating. "

Leaning back a little to give Nina space, I wait for her to react, but she doesn't. Cocking her head to the side, her lips twist like she's biting the inside of her cheek. Her drying eyes ping-pong all around Ridge's angry features, yet she doesn't try to leave his embrace.

Seeming to come to a conclusion, she settles deeper into Ridge's heaving chest. "I'm sorry I scared you," Nina whispers and places a gentle kiss on the edge of his mouth.

"I can—I'll tell you what happened. Y-you should know, then maybe you'll understand why it's hard for me to believe you want this. Want me ."

Ridge's jaw ticks. "Nothing you could say would ever make us want you less."

"We have always wanted you, and we always will," Trevor adds, voice thick with emotion.

Henry places a hand on her bare knee next to where he stuck a Band-Aid, and I pluck a piece of grass out of her hair. Small gestures to show we're here and we are ready to fully dive into Nina's past.