Page 37

37

DORIN

A few days later, I suck up my pride and ask Mikhail to bring Dax’s girl back.

Lavinia has been doing better, sitting up in bed, letting me take her to the window, and letting me read to her while Rex curls up at her side.

But as much as I want to fix her myself, I want to do what’s best for her even more, and letting her see her friend might speed things along.

An annoying-as-hell smile spreads over Mikhail’s face.

“I told—”

“Don’t even start,” I cut him off before he can put more words to his ridiculous self-satisfaction.

“Are you gonna bring her to Lavinia or not?”

His expression sobers as he sighs.

“I’ll try. But I’m not sure Dax will let me after the way you broke our deal the last time.”

My voice becomes a frustrated growl as I fail to rein in my anger.

“I didn’t hurt her. I didn’t even fucking touch her.”

“No, but you broke our deal.”

“Whatever. If he wants to come, he can. But he’s staying in the living room, and you’re staying with the girls.” I can’t believe I’m suggesting this—that I’m actually allowing Dax into my quarters after what he did.

What annoys me even more is that I’m starting to understand why he’d allow his girl to go to my place without him.

Shit, I’m becoming soft like him.

Gnashing my teeth together, I ignore the realization.

“I’ll ask him,” Mikhail agrees, and before he can throw more smug comments my way, I trudge on.

When he calls me in the evening to let me know Dax has agreed and they’ll drop by in the morning, I realize it might be a really fucking bad idea to bring Dax here.

The mere sight of him might traumatize Lavinia.

I’m about to shut the whole thing down but decide to ask her first.

The sight that meets me in the bedroom loosens some of the knots in my chest.

Lavinia and Rex are lying on the bed, him resting his head on his paws, looking very contented, while she gently rubs his fur.

With her back turned to me, I can’t see her face, but those small movements of her fingers and her relaxed position are enough to drain some of the tension from my body.

I carefully scoot onto the bed, leaning against the headboard beside her and running my hand over her soft locks.

She gives a restful sigh, and relief washes away a little more of the tension stuck in my shoulders.

I close my eyes for a beat, just soaking up the moment.

I can’t believe we’re actually here, all three of us.

I’ve fantasized about this but never dared to believe I could have something as calm and comfortable in my life.

But here I am.

Lavinia’s breathing is deepening, verging on sleep, when I realize a lot longer than a moment has passed.

“Lavinia. My sweet so—” I stop myself before saying songbird.

“My sweet girl. I have something to ask you before you fall asleep.”

She slowly turns to look at me, eyes blinking drowsily.

I stroke the hair from her face and brush my knuckles over her cheek.

“I want to bring your friend—Emma—here again. But since I fucked up the last time, Dax won’t let her come alone. He’ll stay in the living room with me, and Mikhail will be in here with the two of you. You’ll be safe. I’ll protect you. Would that be okay with you?”

A wealth of emotion flashes through her eyes, and I think the mere idea is going to throw her into a fit of panic.

But then the storm settles.

Acceptance calms her expression, and she nods.

“Are you sure?”

She reaches up to take my hand and nods again.

I watch her closely for a moment.

“Okay,” I agree when I don’t see any further signs of the conflicting emotions.

“They’ll be here in the morning.”

***

Dax and I take a seat at each end of the couch, gluing our eyes to the bedroom, not casting a single glance at one another.

I’m fucking jealous of Rex, who scurries into the bedroom along with Mikhail and the girls.

He won’t leave Lavinia’s side for a single moment.

When I took them for a walk in the forest yesterday, he remained right next to her instead of bouncing off to explore like he usually does.

I want to do the same.

I hate it every time I have to leave to tend to my responsibilities in the dungeon, but knowing Rex watches over her makes it easier.

The girls take a seat on the bed, their backs to us to watch the view outside.

I want to bark at Mikhail when he sits in my recliner and fucking takes his phone out.

He’s supposed to keep an eye on them.

But then again, I don’t think Dax could convince his girl to hurt Lavinia, just like I couldn’t convince Lavinia to hurt his girl.

And Rex is as good a guard as any.

He might look all cute and cuddly as he rests his head on Lavinia’s lap, enjoying her petting, but he’d tear anyone apart who tried to harm her.

I stay aware of Dax the whole time without looking at him.

He seems to do the same, his posture rigid, tension rolling off him in waves.

I don’t know how long we sit like that, both on high alert, not saying anything but being fully aware of each other.

Maybe a whole hour.

Mikhail snaps us both out of the stiff tension with a sudden clap of his hands.

“Chop, chop, time to leave.”

Pressing my hands to my thighs, I prepare to burst into action, but Mikhail is laid-back as ever as he pockets his phone and gets up.

Casting a glance at Dax, I quickly remove my hands from my thighs as I find him in the same position.

He gives me a cold look when his girl comes out, and he’s quick to guide her toward the door, away from me.

I scoff quietly.

He can protect her all he wants, but eventually, I’ll get to her.

She leans up to whisper something to him, making him pause.

“Do not go to him,” he stresses in a low voice, then grabs her arm as she turns to me.

Her eyes flit up and down, between me and the floor, and her chin lowers in deference.

Maybe fear.

Part of me wants to scoff and ridicule her, but then there’s a part that has me tilting my head slightly, making my eyes glide up and down her delicate frame, taking in her submissive stance.

She looks like a nervous little kitten, and I almost want to go scratch her behind the ear.

Shoving the ridiculous thought aside, I demand, “What is it?”

She licks her lips, then says in a voice so soft I almost don’t hear, “You should get her a violin.”

Before I can inquire to see if I heard right, she’s out the door, scurrying away—and there’s that kitten image again.

I almost understand why Dax is so damn smitten with her.

Almost.

But it’s still ridiculous how soft he’s become for a woman, letting her affect him like that.

I make my way to the bedroom and lift Lavinia onto my lap, needing to feel her close—to know she’s safe.

Rex jumps on the bed and nudges his head between us, and I readjust Lavinia to make room for him.

That’s when I once again realize I’ve gone soft myself.

And not just for Rex, but for a fucking girl too.

I’m just like Dax.

The thought bugs the hell out of me, and I try to deny it.

But as Dax comes here with his girl several times over the next few days, the similarities become glaring.

What I also realize is that it might not be such a bad thing.

As much as I found Dax weak for caring for a girl, I now find a certain respect for his fierce protectiveness toward her.

She might be his weakness, but she’s also his strength—someone giving him the will to go through fire.

Just like I’d do for Lavinia.

As much as I feel weak and scared of losing her, she makes me feel strong too.

When I’m around her, the voices in my head fade, dulling my temper and strengthening my control, and seeing the way she responds to me—the way I’m once again healing her—makes me feel powerful.

When Dax leaves that day, I give him a curt nod.

His brows draw tight, suspicion darkening his eyes.

The idiot doesn’t understand that I’m trying to convey my appreciation.

I sure am not about to put words to it, though.

But the nod was genuine.

Lavinia lights up whenever Dax’s girl is here.

Her writing on the notepad I’ve given her becomes more eager with each time her friend is here.

It even rubs off on the amount she communicates with me.

It’s still mostly practicalities, but every now and then, she’ll write something that Rex did while I was gone, like when he chased a fly and almost choked on it when he caught it.

Seeing her eyes light up when she wrote that nearly had me jumping her like a feral beast in heat, but I’m still holding back with her, sticking to kisses and caresses, not wanting to push too hard, too fast.

So even though I’m not prepared to voice my gratitude, I just might end up sparing both Dax and his girl.

I’m not happy about forfeiting my vengeance, letting Dax get away with taking her fucking voice.

But as I take Emma’s advice and order a violin for Lavinia, a new hope grows inside me—that Lavinia might gain a new voice.