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A beat goes by before I realize what she meant. I look them each in the eye, making sure I have their attention. "She meant us...Eve never gave up hope that we were coming for her."
Eve never lost hope.
I can't help but snicker at Josie's grumbling over the stench of testosterone as she leaves the hospital room. We watch her go, trying and failing to hold back the humor of how outnumbered she is.
"Stop, guys! Your Mom and Jo are going to castrate me if you keep this up!" Ry pleads with his big blue eyes.
"Just wait till Eve finds out." I nudge him with my shoulder when his face turns to stone.
"She will love it." He's so adamant that Evie will love the car he got her for Christmas...while, on the other hand, my parents and Josie have been telling him not to do it. It might overwhelm her in their eyes, but in Ryan's mind...Eve deserves it and so much more.
"What will I love?"
Spit gets lodged in the back of my throat at her small voice behind where I sit on the edge of her bed. Hacking up the saliva trying to drown me, I finally settle when a tiny, warm hand touches my back. I choke on my next breath for a whole other reason...Evie's here, and she's touching me.
"Hi, baby." Ryan leans across me, balancing himself with a hand high on my thigh. I barely hold back the groan at being between these two. After placing a gentle kiss on her cheek, he moves back to stand in front of us. "How are you feeling?"
The shuffle of her arms is the only warning we get before she tries to move to a seated position. We all take a collective breath and lean forward, ready and anxious to help her. Gritting her teeth, she holds back the whimper I know wants to escape.
"Eve, be careful." Korren scolds her and pushes a few buttons to readjust the bed to hold her how she chooses.
"I'm fine," she whispers, eyes lowered to where her hands grasp in front of her tummy. She's not fine; she's actively trying to hide her sniffles and glistening eyes.
Twisting myself and hiking a knee beside her hip, I grip her chin between my thumb and pointer finger, needing her eyes on me. "Eyes on us, sweetheart." A fissure opens in my heart when her chin and lip wobble in my grasp. "We have you now; you're safe."
Her attempt to lean into me is thwarted by her injuries; a loud cry escapes her heaving chest. A spark of panic pushes me to comfort her; as gently as I can, I wrap one arm around her shoulder, my hand cradling her head, while my other arm snakes around her thin waist.
Nuzzling into my neck, she grips my shirt like she never wants to let go. Her watery cries are muffled, but I can feel every emotion that threatens her foundation of strength and happiness. They batter against her bones, making her shake in my arms. They trample over each other, trying to escape faster than she can expel a breath.
"Follow me, Eve. Deep breath in," I suck in a shaky breath of my own, "and out." Long black strands of hair float away from her shoulder on my exhale. It takes her a few minutes to mimic the exercise, but soon, she settles in my embrace.
"I-I'm sorry."
"No apologizing, little fighter." Eve jolts against me, having forgotten about the audience we had. I gently extract myself, catching her eye as I pull away. "You're safe." She sniffles and gives me a teeny nod, enough to have my shoulders relax slightly at being able to comfort my girl.
Amiri procured a cup of water and a straw at some point, now giving it to her since her breathing is under control and some of the panic has ebbed. It has to be a good sign that she isn't afraid of the four of us crowding around her, right? All we do is stare at her, but she doesn't seem to mind as her eyes continue to scan us over the rim of her cup.
Until her eyes drop again.
Korren rumbles, "Look at me." I feel Ryan shift beside me, readying to step in if she is uncomfortable.
Immediately, her wide eyes shoot up to his, breath stuttering a tad. Nudging Amiri out of the way, Kor also sits beside her on the bed. Thinking this might be too much, I stand and watch the exchange with a critical eye.
Gripping her jaw, they lock eyes, something I have seen them do many times. "Evelyn. Focus." De Ja Vu hits, reminding me of Eve's first meltdown after I brought her home.
Korren did the same thing on the floor of the dining room. He gripped Evie's jaw and demanded her attention. Just like all those months ago, goosebumps pebble the fair skin of her arms. The brute fucking smirks when a visible shudder runs through her.
"Mmm, so perfect, little fighter...you listen so well."
Well, fuck.
Ryan chokes next to me, clearly as shocked as I am at the praise. Glancing at Miri, he has an eyebrow raised, watching his brother with a small smile. Turning to Ry, I hold back my huff of laughter at our matching surprised expressions.
I guess he isn't the only one in our family who enjoys the praise kink...and judging by the way the sheets are rustling in her lap, I'd say our little Evie is trying to rub away some of her own desire with her thighs.
"Damn," Ry hums out beside me. "Shh," I hiss, not wanting to take away Eve's distraction. Too late.
My heart stutters, and my jaw is once again on the ground when she gives us a wink. He sucks in a gasp at seeing her playful side come out after all this time. When Eve flatlined in front of him, it completely jolted him out of his own comatose state, and ever since he found out that she was okay, he has been much more like himself.
