Page 155 of Lost & Found

And I meant every part of it. My hand dropped back to my knee, giving her space without breaking the connection completely. I kept my eyes on hers, steady, letting her see there wasn’t anything she could say that would make me walk.

“I’ll take whatever you give me,” I added, slower now. “All of it. Even the parts you need more time to process. I won’t push.”

A breath left me, rougher than I intended, and I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that she was choosing me for this.

“You honor me,” I said, quieter. “Thank you for trusting me with this. I won’t let you down. And I’m all in, princess. I’m not going anywhere. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not when it gets hard.” My jaw tightened for a second before I forced it to ease, not wanting her to mistake it for hesitation. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep earning that trust, too,” I said, softer now. “Every day, if need be.”

Her lips parted, and her eyes flickered, searching my face like she was trying to find the catch. There wasn’t one. Her eyes stayed locked on mine, a little unsteady, and filled with trepidation. And when she inhaled, it wasn’t as sharp anymore. It was deeper. Like she was finally letting herself believe me.

Then she spoke. “If I get to a point where it’s too much for you to hear, I need you to give me a signal.”

“Okay, that makes sense.”

She reached out, and the warmth of her small hand fell to my chest, center mass, right above my heart.

“I was thinking of something discreet. Maybe you could tap your chest right here. Twice.”

Two softly placed taps followed, and then her eyes lifted to mine. I brought her hand up to my lips and dusted it with kisses. I held her gaze, praying she could see the unwavering support I planned to give her.

“Is that all, princess? Consider it done,” I said. “But I need you to know, I’m stronger than you think.”

“I know. But sometimes when Kinsley shares things with the Kings…they need a break.”

“Okay, I’m tracking now.”

“It may not even be necessary,” she admitted. “Seeing as I didn’t have the same experience as the others, I don’t honestly know.”

Her gaze drifted out to the horizon before filling with tears. “There may be things that involve Kinsley though. I know my brother couldn’t stand to hear any of what I personally went through. Maybe it’s not fair of me.”

“It won’t be an issue, and I won’t let it get in the way. Isabella, I will carry every burden you give me. Now and forevermore,” I said.

She gave me a small nod and cleared her throat. Her chest heaved, and a heaviness entered mine. I pulled her hand into mine and rubbed circles around her pulse points.

“I’m ready to be your rock. And no pressure. You can stop at any point.”

Her gaze drifted past me, out toward the ocean, as if she were searching for the right words. I let her take her time and didn’t try to fill the silence. Instead, I braced myself, keeping a light hold on her hand. Every instinct in me pushed to pull her closer, to anchor her before whatever she was about to say could take her under.

But this wasn’t about what I needed. It was about giving her the power. The wind shifted, catching strands of her hair and lifting them across her face. I resisted the urge to fix it this time, to tuck it back as I had before. She needed space more than she needed me hovering over her every breath.

So I tempered it. Forced myself still and waited. Her fingers tightened around mine for a brief second, testing to see if I was still there without looking. When she finally turned back to me, her eyes found mine without hesitation.

“I always shared a wall with Mischa. Do you mind if I use her real name during this?”

“Of course not. She will always be Mischa to me. I honor her wishes, but I can’t help it. I often catch myself and then remember to use Kinsley. Most of the time I can cover it by calling her mouse,” I said, trying to soothe her.

A small smile lit her face for a second before it faded.

“The man who took us, well, one of them, had a son. The four of us girls were introduced to him early on, prior to performing for an audience. We had to showcase our talents to him. On his birthday, no less. He had a sick obsession with dolls.”

“Dolls?” I wasn’t expecting that.

“Yeah. Those creepy porcelain types with old dresses. Think horror films where there is a possessed doll. He had his absolute favorites, which he kept behind a locked cabinet.”

Dread curled in my stomach.

Her chest heaved as she spoke. “On that first night we were forced to dress like them. Living dolls. And with a sixth sense I still don’t completely understand, I knew that Mischa and I were in the running to become his.”

My jaw tightened. Memories of mouse at the tender age of eight, throwing a ring at me, stomping her little foot, and then even darker ones played on a reel. The funeral. The emptiness. The fear of my parents when her grandfather showed up.