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I wanted to respond, but my blood froze at the betrayal in Finn’s voice.

It was too late now. We’d passed the point of no return, and I had never been good at confrontation. Earlier, I had feigned bravery with fury. Now, I felt none of that…

Past experience taught me that there were two ways to survive in life-or-death situations: strike first and escape, or pretend the problem didn’t exist. Neither option was good for this scenario.

However, Julian seemed to have everything under control.

“What Bianca does is none of your business.” He moved more fully in front of me, shielding me from Finn’s accusing glare.

I was hiding like a coward, but I didn’t care. It was everything I could do to breathe in Julian’s calming scent as I tried not to hyperventilate.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Finn snapped. “So stay out of this. This is between me and Bianca. She’s my responsibility. ”

My body felt numb as I rested my head against Julian’s back. I was stunned as Finn’s words echoed in my mind.

His… responsibility?

Julian tensed, but Finn wasn’t done yet. “What are you doing here anyway? Isn’t there a fresh batch of dead people for you to—”

“That’s enough.” Julian’s order crashed down over the room like a wave, and a feeling of intense fury saturated the air. “Bianca is a person—not a problem, responsibility, or your own personal toy. If you cared so much about her, you would have taken her seriously from the beginning.”

“I have taken her seriously,” Finn protested, his voice slightly more subdued.

But still, I couldn’t look at him.

“I’m not sure what she’s told you,” Finn said, regaining some of his confidence. “But it’s a complicated situation…” His weak explanation died, and he continued, quieter, barely audible. “I need to talk to you. Without her present.”

My heartbeat sounded louder in my ears with every cruel word. Why would he need to talk to Julian alone? Was he going to try to poison my new friends against me? Meanwhile, Julian’s demeanor had almost turned glacial in its silent, deadly ferocity. I jumped as he reached behind him and touched my arm.

His fingers were cold, and I wasn’t entirely sure if the feeling came from me, or him. But then the contact broke, and he stepped away from me, moving toward Finn.

“This is not the time,” Julian said, pointing toward the door. “I want you to leave.”

“You don’t understand!” Finn uttered out a muffled curse. “Besides, I don’t need to listen to you—”

“ Now .” Julian’s voice brooked no argument.

I couldn’t see what happened—Julian had kept himself between us—but the loud sound of the door slamming closed broke me from my stupor.

“Wait.” I stared at Julian’s back. “He actually left?”

“He had no choice.” Julian turned and ran his hands over my arms. “Are you hurt?”

I was staring at the wooden door, dazed, and almost missed his question. “Huh?”

“Let me help.” Julian’s light touch lingered on my shoulder as he led me toward the living room. I watched the blurred outline of the fireplace as we drew near to the couch, and my ears perked at his muffled instructions.

He’d said something, and I’d missed it.

I turned my gaze to the taller man, blinking at him. “What?”

“Sit down,” he ordered.

I didn’t want to sit down. I wanted to be left alone to lick my emotional wounds in peace. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what he was thinking—how the others would feel about me when he told them what happened.

How would they feel about me if they talked to Finn?

Julian guided me to the couch, and I listened anyway, sitting back as my calves brushed against the floral fabric. “Here,” he said. He tucked the blanket over my legs as he sat next to me and turned my chin until our eyes met. “Let me see.”

His lips pressed together as he moved his touch across my cheek and temples.

Oh, that was right. He was in medical school.

Not that I was injured or anything—only a little stunned. It was such a bother.

“Bianca.” Julian paused and waited until he had my attention. “You aren’t a bother.”

My breath caught. Too late, I realized that I’d let my thoughts get away from me, and I’d spoken that last part out loud. But I still didn’t get it. If it wasn’t my fault, then why were his features drawn in fury as he looked at me?

“You’re angry,” I observed.

“Not at you,” he said and traced his fingers closer to my left ear. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. I don’t lose my temper often…” His voice trailed off as he frowned. He was still watching his hand. “When I saw what Finn was doing, it brought back memories.”

More guilt turned in my stomach. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Julian said, dropping his hand from my face. He seemed hesitant now, uncertain. “Hey, Bianca…”

Why did it look like something was seriously wrong? I bit my bottom lip as I waited. Of course, he noticed, and as he continued, he touched my lip, releasing it from under my teeth. “Do you have any trouble hearing me?”

“I’m fine!” I pulled away as my chest constricted, and he dropped his hand back to his side. My heart was racing as he watched me, trying to maintain eye contact, but I couldn’t look at him anymore.

Why would he even think that?

Oh wait, I knew why. My ears rang as I touched the side of my head, lingering over a sensitive spot behind my ear. “I-I just hit my head…” That’d been too close.

“You hit your head?” Julian was instantly responsive, and his hands covered my own as he stood to inspect the area. His chest was inches from my face, and from this distance, the smell of fresh air and saltwater was even easier to distinguish.

“We’ll have to keep an eye on it,” he began. “Or should we go to the hospital?”

Hospital.

Panic tore from my throat, and I grabbed his wrist. “No!”

“No?” He blinked down at me, stunned .

“No hospital.” I squeezed his hand. “Please.”

It was obvious that he didn’t agree, but he didn’t have a chance to argue before the doorbell rang once again. Julian’s attention lifted, drifting to the front hallway, before he sighed.

“That’ll be Damen,” he said, standing straight. He touched the top of my head. “I was checking my messages when I heard you and Finn—he was on his way already. I’ll go let him in.”

Damen…

The tension released from my shoulders. Despite my initial reservations, Damen would know how to take care of things, wouldn’t he?

“Where is he?” Damen stormed into the living room and scanned the area with barely concealed panic. His expression changed once he spotted me, and he’d closed the distance between us with three, large steps.

“I already told you; he’s gone now,” Julian replied, calmer than he’d been before as he trailed after the other man. “I took care of everything. But she did hit her head.”

I felt my embarrassment rise, and my skin flushed. “I’m fine.”

Damen’s hands had clenched into fists, and he looked between the two of us. His twisted expression and tense jaw were a mix of both anger and guilt. “What happened?”

“Did…” I began, swallowing once his attention returned to me.

It was humiliating to mention it, but I couldn’t ignore Finn’s parting request. What did he have to talk about? Would he try to turn them against me? I wasn’t sure why he would. I hadn’t done anything to make Finn hate me that much, but he was Damen’s brother, and I was just some random girl .

“Did he talk to you yet?” I asked.

“No,” Damen replied, and I could almost feel his suspicion. “Do you not want him to talk to me?”

I paused. I could deny it, but I was certain Damen saw through me. “Maybe.”

“Why?” Damen asked. He crossed his arms, waiting for my response, and added, “Is there anything I need to know? Are you his girlfriend?”

“No,” I said, even though I’d once wanted to be. I squeezed my fists over my thighs. “I told you already—we’re friends.”

“Then what are you afraid he’ll tell me?” he asked.

“Finn was the one who said it…” I shrugged. “Apparently, it’s a ‘complicated situation’.”

Damen frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

It was an answer!

“I’m messed up!” I snapped. The sight of him wavered in my watery vision. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s clearly a lot I don’t know, and I don’t know why I don’t know. But there’s a lot of things he can tell you about me. I get scared easily and I’m terrified to talk to new people! I can’t answer for him. I don’t even know why he hasn’t told you about our past. Maybe he’s just embarrassed?”

Julian and Damen exchanged a glance—a habit that was growing increasingly infuriating—before Damen’s attention returned to me.

“Bianca,” he said. “None of that is anything you should be embarrassed about, and I can promise you that even though I do not know his reasons, that is not why he wants to talk.”

“You’re making excuses for him?” Julian growled, outraged.

“No,” Damen shook his head. “I’m not. But I do know that he’s not the type to judge people based on their fears. Instead, he tends to lean in the opposite direction.” His frown shifted into a contemplative twist “He can be smothering, even.”

“Forcing someone to be dependent on you is still abusive,” Julian replied.

I shifted nervously in my seat. I didn’t like this. They were starting to argue, and it was my fault. “I’m sorry…”

“Why are you sorry?” Damen asked, and it was impossible not to hold on to his every word. “And I’d like to add this: everyone has issues to work through. That doesn’t define who you are or take away your value.”

I stared at him. I’d heard similar sentiments before, but…

There was something different in the way he said it. Although we hardly knew each other, it was easy to see that he believed in it.

How was he able to do that? How could he take one look at me and bring all my secret fears and thoughts to the surface? All I wanted was to be normal, but Damen and his psychology mojo had a way of breaking through my barriers.

“No matter what Finn tells me,” Damen continued, “you have nothing to worry about. There’s no going back now. We’ve already taken you in.”

“Oh…” I clenched my hands against my lap. What was this growing lightness spreading through me? “Thanks.”

Julian cleared his throat, and Damen glanced at him.

“Bianca’s had a rough evening,” Julian said. “Maybe she should take some time to regroup before Miles and Titus get here?”

“Yeah,” Damen agreed. He moved to the corner of the room and picked up a worn, leather knapsack he’d tossed aside in his dramatic entrance. He knelt to the ground and began to root through it .

“Or maybe,” Julian continued. “Do you think we should have that head injury looked at?”

“Why?” Damen asked, looking up from the tidy pile of rope and nails. A trickle of alarm laced his voice as he asked, “Is it that bad?”

“No!” I protested, clutching the blanket against my chest. I already knew where this was going.

“Bianca,” Julian said, placatingly holding out his hands. “I really think you should get seen by a doctor.”

“No,” I said again. He spoke from a place of concern—but still. “I can’t go to the hospital. I hate them. You’re almost a doctor, aren’t you?”

“That’s not how it works.” Julian sounded so sad.

It made my heart ache because I didn’t want to disappoint him. But he didn’t understand.

I bit my lip until the copper taste of blood filled my mouth, and goosebumps broke out all over my skin.

Damen suddenly leaned over my shoulder and wrapped the blanket more fully around my frame. I was startled and craned my neck to look at him.

Our eyes met.

I wasn’t sure what he saw, but his face grew even more serious.

“She’s scared,” he told Julian, then addressed me, “It’s all right. The only place you’re going is upstairs for a bath.” He held up a small, clear bottle.

It was sealed by a cork, and inside were various colored herbs and flower petals.

“Use this,” he said. “I’ll help you relax.”

I held on to the gift even as I protested. “I can’t take a bath. I can’t just leave you alone.”

“Go.” Damen tugged my hand until I was standing and moved behind me. “Just take that,” he was saying, leading me to the door. “Pour it into warm water, and you’ll be fine. Make sure to soak for at least twenty minutes.”

He sure was bossy.

I glanced at Julian, but he looked away as he pointedly stayed out of the conversation. Past his initial reservations, he seemed content to let Damen handle the instructions.

“Don’t worry.” Damen stepped closer to me, whispering in my ear, so low that I could barely hear it, “I’ll talk to Julian.” I looked up at him, and he continued. “I can fill him and Titus in on our conversation earlier, so they can understand your history with Finn. Is that something you’re okay with?”

Did they always tell each other everything? Although in this instance, it made sense.

“I guess.” I sighed. I didn’t have much of a choice. “If you think it’s important.”

“Hey.” Damen gave me an even look, searching my face. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he must have found it because his mouth dipped. “It’s not about what I want. It’s about what you’re comfortable sharing. I’m only suggesting this because we work as a team, and it’s better if we’re all on the same page. We’re your friends, no matter what you want to disclose.”

My face heated. This whole concept was going to take some getting used to. Heck, it hadn’t even been a day. I needed time to come to terms with everything.

My eyes focused on Damen’s necklace—the charm’s symbol was still unreadable even from this distance. “It’s all right. Honestly,” I whispered, and it was true.

“Do you want to tell them?” he asked.

My pulse spiked at the suggestion. It was an option, but I didn’t want their pity.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to know if they reacted badly .

“I don’t have to tell them at all.” Damen nudged my chin up with his forefinger, and his eyes captured mine. “But there’s nothing cowardly about relying on others. Even I have people I depend on.”

How ominous. But then again, what was it that had me already wanting to trust them? It almost felt like I’d finally found a place to belong.

Slowly, I nodded. “Please.”

“Good.” He nodded, then touched my nose. “Then take a bath,” he said. “And that’s an order.”