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Fuck, it was good to have him back, to hear his voice whenever I wanted, to see him smirking and scowling instead of being slack-faced and unconscious.
"We won't be far," Joseph assured me, squeezing my shoulder.
"Be careful," I blurted when X moved past me. "Please."
Instant panic hit at the thought of having him out of sight, but Dev wanted to have a super serious, super scary conversation, and he was probably right that we needed privacy.
"If anyone comes near me," X murmured, holding eye contact, "I'll make their insides explode."
I exhaled a relieved breath. "You better."
He ducked close to kiss my cheek and followed the others downstairs.
With my stomach squirming, I darted my gaze to Dev and then away. I wasn't expecting his arms to settle around my waist or for a kiss to land on top of my head.
His voice was still steely when he spoke, though.
"I heardeverythingyou said, Aveline."
"Oh god, full name," I breathed, a pit of snakes writhing in my belly. I stared at the armour on his chest, not daring to meet his eyes.
"I heard you begging me to wake up, and Itriedwith everything I had in me. I heard you plead, and cry, and give up—and then stubbornlyrefuseto give up only minutes later. I heard you talk about our dynamic."
A frown pinched my brow. I didn't remember talking about a dynamic. I wasn't a hundred percent sure what that word meant.
"Look at me, babygirl," he ordered.
I bit the inside of my lip and lifted my head, hesitant to see his expression. It was a strange mix of softness and sternness, and it made my heart beat faster.
"Remember what you said?I could really use someone to take care of me right now, so how about you come out of your coma and hug me, daddy?"
I groaned and let my head fall on his chest. "Oh good, you remembered it word for word."
"I memorised it," he informed me, stroking up and down my spine with the backs of his fingers. "I used it as fuel to fight the weakness trapping me. I just needed the extra push from your panic today. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. And neither are you."
A little chill went down my spine at the firmness of his voice. "I can't just—"
"I don't want to hear it," he interrupted, holding me tighter against his body. Fuck, we fit together well. "There's no argument you could deliver that would make you facing that evil man alone acceptable. Not for me, and not for your other mates. It's not happening."
I scoffed. "You think you can tell me what to do?"
"Yes. I do. Not because I'm more powerful than you, or because you were born human, or because you're a woman. Because you're my babygirl; mine to protect, even from yourself if needs must. Being your daddy means you're my priority, and your safety is fucking paramount."
"It's really hot when you swear," I whispered, my heart pounding hard.
"You mightwantto face Eidolon alone, but what youneedis all of us around you. You're just afraid to admit it. And I understand; it's a scary thing to admit."
"Don't patronise me," I muttered, a scowl overtaking my face.
"I'm not," he replied calmly, releasing my waist to catch my face in both his hands, the heat of his skin against mine so good that my eyes fluttered. He wasn't in a coma and dying; he was here, right in front of me, so alive. "I can't imagine what you went through when we got hurt."
"Hurt is a damn understatement."
"But there's no reward without the risk, Avie. Eidolon isn't an easy man to overpower, let alone kill; that comes with dangers. And we won't let you face them alone. You never have to endure your abuser alone again."
Fuck. Hearing the word abuser out loud for the first time made me itchy and stabby.
Dev tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and stroked down my neck. "If you just want hugs, and love, and sex from me, I'm your mate—you always have those. My love is a constant."
