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Once he was alone, he drew out his phone and called Alec.
“How is Hannah?” Alec asked without saying hello.
Raid didn’t take offense. He knew Alec was worried about his girl.
“She’s all right. She’s sleeping right now.”
“Good. Probably the best thing for her. She’s letting you stay with her?”
“For the moment. She keeps trying to push me away.”
“I haven’t seen her since she’s gotten home, but both Mia and Flick have, and they’re quite worried. She’s not the same.”
“No. She’s not.”
“You’re serious about her. Really serious?”
If anyone else asked him that, then he would likely have taken offense. But he knew that Alec wasn’t trying to insult him.
“I am.”
“Good. Then you’ll be just what she needs. Be her rock. She can try to push you away, but Malone men are stubborn. We don’t do anything we don’t want to do.”
“I know. I’m letting her push because that’s what she feels has to do. But I’m not going anywhere. I’m not sure when I’ll get back to the ranch. Maybe when she’s well enough to go to work.”
“Don’t worry about work. Just remember, go with your gut. Sometimes she might need you to push back, other times she might need some space.”
“Space?” He didn’t like that idea.
“You’ve got to give her time to miss you.”
He wasn’t so sure. Although he could kind of see the wisdom in that.
“I don’t want to leave her, Alec.”
“Good. I like this.”
So did he. A lot. Which is why, no matter if they went backward. Or if she tried to close him out or keep him at a distance, he wouldn’t let her.
She was ‘the one’.
“Alec, she’s been sleeping on the floor. And there was no food in her house. And the furniture in her apartment is shit.”
“Want me to rally the troops?” By troops, he meant the women in their family.
“I got her to nap in her bed. I’m going to stay the night. So I should be able to get her to sleep in her bed. But I’m not going to push her into letting me sleep with her, and her couch is shit.”
“I’ll get onto it. And Mia will start cooking.”
He didn’t bother saying thanks. Alec would know that he felt it. “Renard bought her over some meals. But some of Mia’s baking would be appreciated.”
“Renard cooked for her?”
“Yep. And Saxon was just here. I wouldn’t be surprised if her friends turn up soon.”
“People care about her. Hannah is a good person. What did Saxon say?”
“Not a lot. He’s worried about her. He suggested that when she’s ready to play again that I let her play with one of the married Doms.”
“Like fuck,” Alec spat out. “You’re not letting another man touch her.”
Raid nodded. He damn well wasn’t. “Course not.”
“Fucking Saxon. I’ll have words with him.”
“I can fight my own battles, brother.”
Alec grunted. “Like you can’t give her what she needs.”
“You think I can?” It wasn’t a doubt he’d admit to anyone else. In fact, he’d argue to the death that he could.
But this was Alec.
“Look, there are no hard and fast rules for this sort of stuff. You are who you are. You work out what she needs and what you’re happy to give her. If there’re gaps, you negotiate to figure that stuff out. If she needs to go to Saxon’s and play, then you work out what you can give her to make her happy there and not change who you are. But, bottom line, if she’s the one, she was made for you and all this stuff will work itself out. You’ll always do what is best for her.”
“Yeah. I will. And it’s not like I can’t tie her up and give her whatever else she needs.” Easy-peasy.
“Saxon will make you do courses,” Alec warned.
“Fucking courses. I’ll ace that shit.”
“Damn right. We all like various levels of control. And I can help you if you need it. The main thing is to talk to her. Ask her what she needs and wants. She might need a supporter, a cheerleader, a protector, someone to provide boundaries. Someone to take control. It might just be about sex. It might go beyond that.”
“I’d give her all that anyway,” he said arrogantly.
“Of course you would. You’re a Malone. Malone men always give their women what they need.”
Damn straight, they did.
A frightened noise from inside the apartment had him turning. “Gotta go. Hannah’s having a bad dream.”
“Later.”
He ended the call and raced inside, only pausing to shut the door behind him. He didn’t want any surprise visitors walking in.
Moving swiftly to the bedroom, he kneeled beside the bed and reached out to run his hand down her face.
“No, no, please. No!”
Fuck. This was killing him. He was going to fucking murder the motherfucker who hurt her. Who made her have bad dreams. Who made her pull back from all of her friends and flinch when they tried to touch her.
