Page 173 of Loving the Tormentor

That man has three passions in life. People’s minds. The violin. And his family.

After everything that happened, he couldn’t play the violin professionally again, and he dropped psychiatry so he could focus on music in other ways. I still think that he should’ve never become a psychiatrist, no matter what. After all, his mind is dangerous for everyone else but me and our girls.

My eyes only dart to his scars once. His hand is still scarred from that night, and he holds his baton in a way that shows it's a struggle, yet he stays perfectly professional. His tendons were lacerated, some nerves that help control the thumb and index finger have been affected too, and multiple bones in his hand were shattered. It means that even today, it's deformed, and he's got chronic pain from that accident.

And still, Achilles is a beautiful conductor. Elegant, stern, perfect.

I can hear everything perfectly with my hearing aid, and I barely need to look at him or my sheets since this masterpiece is a part of me, and I'm a part of it. Intertwined like mine and Achilles's hearts.

The only thing that keeps me blushing is every time I eye the baton and remember the power it had on me just ten minutes ago backstage. Achilles was harsh, but the slight pain on my ass as I play on my seat keeps me grounded. He knows what I need, and I trust him more than I trust myself with my body. In fact, thanks to him, I play perfectly.

The standing ovation seems to last forever. I like to believe it's for the man who changed his entire life just to save mine, butthe second our eyes connect, I read the words he mouths.This is all for you.

I shake my head, pointing at him instead before I join the applause. Our daughters trot on stage, Sophie bringing me flowers, and Lyra bringing Achilles a bouquet too. We both pick them up and break the stuck-up unspoken rules of an orchestra on stage as we approach each other.

Achilles puts Lyra down, holding her by the hand as he cups my cheek.

"I'm going to kiss you in front of two thousand two hundred people now," he purrs.

I smile brightly. "What are you waiting for?"

Our friends come home with us, except Lena, who had to run back to her siblings the second the jet landed. We're all settled in the living room, the fire crackling in the fireplace as Sophie points at the bay windows, showing Lyra the snow falling on the frozen lake. Our youngest keeps cooing at it as Sophie counts the snowflakes. It's a particularly cold winter, but there's too much warmth in our hearts to really feel it.

"You were amazing, Nyx," Peach beams, standing by the fire. "You both were, but let's admit it, you're a goddess."

"Agreed," Achilles says, giving a beer to Chris and Xi, then going back to the kitchen.

"I want one." Wren's voice startles Peach as he wraps his arms around her waist. "Just one. A tiny,tinyone."

"Those things don't feel tiny when a woman is pushing them out of her vagina, Wren," she snaps. "We saidlater."

He rolls his eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to play with Sophie and Lyra."

Sophie loves her Uncle Wren, and she's already jumping on the spot when he takes her in his arms to have her fly around the room."

Xi and Alex are murmuring in their corner, and Ella catches on to them right away.

"Okay, what’s all the whispering about?" she asks from where she's sitting on Chris's knees.

"Nothing," Alex says in an attempt at lying.

"God, Alex." Chris chuckles. "You're turning twenty-four in a month, and you still haven't mastered the art of saying one simple lie."

"Maybe you should learn the art of lying less," Alex mumbles.

We all burst into laughter just as Achilles walks back into the living room.

"What am I missing?" he asks, settling next to me.

He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer, even though we're already touching.Tighteralways tighter against the other until we become one.

"Alex and Xi are hiding things from us," I tell him as I rest my head on his shoulder and sip on the margarita Peach made me.

"We're trying not to steal your thunder," Alex says to us. "It was opening night. It's your night."

"Impossible," Achilles says casually. "You were at the show. Try your best."

She eyes Xi, who’s clearly against her saying another word. But all it takes is a little pout and a please from Alex before he huffs and agrees.