Aoife reached over and gently clasped my hand. "I'm glad you're here, Savvie."
My smile was sheepish. "Even if I'm a brat?"
"It's part of your charm," she teased back, her gaze drifting to my cheek.
The burns were the only visible sign of what I’d gone through. The bruises at my hip and shoulder were still there, but I’d covered them with my long-sleeved tee, and my fingertips were starting to scab over.
"Not long for the burns to heal," Inessa comforted. "I’m sure Aidan will have you back in the saddle soon enough."
I snorted. "That's Camille's kink." Seeing her cheeks bloom with color, I crowed, "You still haven't gotten him to fuck you on a horse?"
"When would he have been able to do that, Savvie? Aidan and Brennan have been thick as thieves this week. I barely see him."
I grimaced. "True."
It wasn’t like I’d seen a lot of Aidan.
He crept into the apartment at odd hours, jostling the bed so that I stirred in my nap, then when I woke up again, he'd be gone.
He was busy.
We talked on the phone, and he answered questions I asked, but those were few and far between this week.
My questions weren't for a phone call.
I wanted to look into his eyes as he explained what was going on.
"Are you okay, Savvie?" Camille asked.
"I'm fine," I dismissed.
"You don't have to put on a brave face for us."
My smile quivered. "It's dumb."
"Nothing you feel is dumb," Aoife reprimanded me. Her fingers squeezed carefully around mine.
"I think it's... I'm not scared. I'm not worried about it happening again either."
"Then, what is it? You look like you could cry."
"Isn't it stupid?" I whispered to Aela.
"No, it isn't. You went through something traumatic."
Camille stood up and moved over to me. As she crouched at my side, she said, "It's one thing to read about what happened to you, but experiencing it is something else, Savannah.
"You're a tough cookie, but every cookie crumbles sometimes."
Sniffling out a laugh at her analogy, I muttered, "I think it's just everything." I explained about my mom and begged them to keep it quiet. Then, I said, "It's ridiculous but I kind of miss Aidan Sr. too."
"That definitelyisstupid."
"No, it isn’t, Aela." Aoife shot her a dark look. "It makes sense. Now, all the responsibility is on Aidan's shoulders. It means your whole lives have been shaken up."
"So have yours," I pointed out.
"Not like with Aidan. Even if he rules differently, which I think he is, because Aidan and Brennan haven't been the only ones MIA this week—"