Page 45 of Beyond Repair, Part One (Damaged Duet #1)

Henry

N o response would ever take away the pain my girl has suffered. So when she asks us not to say anything, I selfishly release a sigh of relief.

Ridge is frozen, his arms limp around Nina, allowing her to crawl off his lap without much effort. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

Then Neen's padding away with her arms wrapped around her waist. Her sniffles grow quieter as she finds the bathroom down the hall. My heart is in my goddamn throat, and I desperately want to chase after her, then never let her out of my sight.

I hate myself for how relieved I am that I didn't have to hear the details of what she suffered. How am I so incredibly selfish and weak that I can't hold on to some of her trauma?

The backs of my eyes sting and my head falls forward into my shaking hands. I can't handle this . Between the horrible relief and my brain filling in the gaps that she left open, I feel like I'm about to crumble. Imagine how Nina feels .

"Baby..." Kai's voice is rough, but his hands are gentle as he settles behind me on the couch and holds my hips. "She's safe now."

I lift my head and nod, but that doesn't stop the anxiety thrumming through my veins. "He's still out there. Why the hell isn't she in witness protection?!"

"I talked to her dad about that," Trevor states. "The psych facility she was in for the first year was heavily guarded, and they had frequent contact with the agents on her case when she first came home."

"What about now ?" Ridge snaps, clearly agitated and struggling to control himself. "What's stopping him from coming after her again?"

Trev shushes him. "Calm down, Ridge. She doesn't need to hear us bickering right now."

"Continue, please," I beg, needing to know there's something in place to keep her safe.

"Mr. M is being tracked along the Canadian border. All signs point to him being far away from here. He's just damn good at staying two steps ahead of the Feds." Trevor's jaw clenches in irritation.

With one hand on my hip, Kai tugs me back until I'm pressed against him. "So what are they doing to keep Nina safe?" he asks, sounding more curious than angry.

Trevor scratches his stubbly jaw. "Keeping her dad updated and ensuring she's somewhat hidden.

Will and Meg were terrified to shove her into hiding after everything she went through, so they felt, if Mr. M was states away, she should live her life.

I don't know if any of you have thought about the fact that we never saw any news coverage of when Nina was found? "

Our beat of silence is his answer. There's a reason we never knew she was safe, and I'm pissed I haven't thought to ask before now.

"Will said there was a major uproar about it for a few days, but they quickly got it under control in an attempt to keep her as hidden as possible while she recovered. If you search the internet hard enough, you'll find her story..." Trevor trails off, suddenly looking pale.

My breath catches. "You read it didn't?—"

Nina bounces into the living room with a White Claw in her hands. "I want to hear more about you guys," she says and parks her ass on the ground in the middle of the living room.

"Hold that thought." Ridge jumps from the couch and disappears.

In the twenty seconds he's gone, the three of us study Nina. Her eyes are red and puffy, yet her lips are curved up in a smile. "Pretty girl, are you alright?"

Her smile loses some of its shine. "I'm fine, Henry. I really just want to enjoy the rest of the night before we go home. As long as..." She gulps and fiddles with the can. "As long as you still want me."

"Nothing's changed," Ridge declares, charging into the living room with a stack of blankets and pillows. "And we aren't leaving tonight. So make a nest for all of us, please."

"A nest?" Kai mutters in my ear.

Nina's eyes light up and she makes grabby hands for the pile Ridge carries.

With a shit-eating grin, he drops them in front of her and leaves again.

Confused, Kai, Trev, and I watch as she takes a gulp of her drink and places it on the coffee table.

Digging through the fabric, she hums and starts laying them around the living room.

Before I can question what she's doing, Ridge is back with more blankets and some pillows this time. Placing them on the outskirts of the scattered blankets, Ridge smiles softly and walks out again.

"Do you know what's happening?" Trevor mumbles to me and Kai.

I shake my head and lean forward. There's a weightlessness in her concentration that sets me at ease. The living room soon has a layer of blankets over the rug and pillows start to pile up in a U around the outskirts.

"Omegas in the books she reads make nests to relax in. It helps with stress and relaxation," Ridge explains, dropping more pillows on the ground. He leans against the couch, watching our girl make a cozy-looking bed. "I read some of them, and it sounded like something she would enjoy."

We're all looking at him like he has two heads, but not once does he look in our direction. Instead of questioning him, we watch Nina make the perfect spot for our slumber party.

Ten minutes later, Neen smiles and wipes her brow, then downs the rest of her White Claw. "Okay," she says triumphantly, "come snuggle and tell me all about what you guys have been up to the past few years."