Chapter 5 #2
Gregor arched an eyebrow at Sid, and the female doctor nodded. “I think he’s best for her.”
“Aye, well, then come on. Grace is going to make herself sick if we don’t do something soon.”
Trahern followed the other doctor out of the room and said to his beast, This better not be a mistake.
It won’t. Just stop holding back with Grace. That’s all I ask.
Grace hiccuped from crying so much. It was ridiculous really, as knocking over a glass of orange juice had sent her into a series of sobs that she hadn’t been able to control.
She barely remembered Dawn and Hayley helping her to the clinic, or Dr. Sid examining her.
Even now, Hayley sat beside her, rubbing her back, and saying, “Shhh, Grace. Whatever it is, we’ll help you.”
The other woman had also been imprisoned in the same building as Grace, albeit briefly. At first, she’d avoided Hayley, thinking seeing her would only remind her of that horrid place.
However, once she’d come over and chatted about everything and nothing, she’d realized her mistake and had tried to make friends. Well, to the best of Grace’s ability, given how she struggled to trust anyone.
And between Dawn, Hayley, and Helena Westcliff, Grace had been managing.
Or so she’d thought until spilling orange juice had sent her over the edge.
As her hiccups slowed, exhaustion mixed with hopelessness washed over her. Could she do this? She loved her sons and wanted nothing but the best for them. However, she was starting to think maybe they deserved a home with two people to love and care for them.
Naively, she’d thought Trahern would be there, given how much he’d cooed over her sons—in his unique way—in the beginning.
But after nearly four weeks of him rarely showing up, she’d given up hope he wanted anything to do with her or the boys.
After a knock, Dr. Innes walked in, followed by…Trahern?
She frowned. Staring at him, she demanded, “What are you doing here?”
Trahern’s pupils flashed a few times, which confused her. His dragon didn’t talk to him. Right?
Dr. Innes cleared his throat. “Trahern wants to chat with Grace alone, Hayley.”
Hayley glared at Trahern, but the dragonman never took his gaze from Grace.
And she almost swore determination and concern flared there.
Which was ridiculous. Trahern didn’t care about her. Well, beyond the duty of giving her a place to live.
Hayley turned toward her. “Do you want to see him? If not, I’ll chase him away.”
Trahern said, “I’m not leaving until I talk with Grace.”
Her head spun, but whether from exhaustion or Trahern’s unusually firm tone, she didn’t know.
Maybe she was dreaming. Yes, that would explain Trahern’s flashing eyes, long eye contact, and steely tone.
Just as she tried to make her brain work and formulate a reply, Dr. Innes spoke again. “Hayley, come on, lass. It’s my professional opinion that they need to talk.”
Hayley looked back at her. “What do you want, Grace?”
What she wanted was a lack of cynicism, to erase the months spent inside that prison, and to not worry about her boys ever being taken away from her.
Yet, as she glanced at Trahern again, something seemed different about him. Enough that she replied, “I’ll talk to Trahern.”
“I’ll wait right outside the door. Shout if you need me.”
She attempted to smile at Hayley, but didn’t quite manage it. “Thank you.”
The other woman patted her arm. “Anytime. That’s what friends are for.”
Friends. How she wished she could embrace it and not constantly worry she’d be tossed aside or used for some sort of machination.
Hayley glared at Trahern before following Dr. Innes out of the room, leaving her alone with her mate, in name only.
As he continued to stare at her, Grace resisted fidgeting. “What do you want?”
He took two steps closer. “I’m sorry.”
She frowned. “For what?”
“For not realizing you needed help. That you’re exhausted, struggling, and in need of a partner.”
“We’re not really partners, Trahern,” she said softly.
He moved to the drawers on the side of the room and rummaged inside them as he said, “I have trouble reading emotions. Which means you need to state things honestly for me.”
Blinking at the abrupt change in subject, she asked, “Pardon?”
Retrieving what he needed, he turned back to her with a syringe and vial in hand.
“Unless I’ve known someone a long time, I can’t tell if you’re upset or irritated or sad.
Well, if someone starts crying or shouting, then I can.
But I don’t read emotions in eyes or facial expressions as easily as some.
So until I know you better, and can memorize your emotional patterns and responses, you have to state plainly what you’re feeling.
And since you’ve said fine, I accepted that. But you were lying.”
As he filled the syringe, Grace whispered, “I suppose I was.”
“No, you were. Because you’re not fine.”
He walked over, raised his hand, and for the briefest second, traced near her eye. The touch was gone before she could blink, but her skin still tingled from the contact.
Trahern added, “So will you be honest with me? I mean brutally honest. Politeness will make things difficult, and I won’t be able to take care of you properly.”
For a split second, a yearning crashed over her. To have someone always at her side, to lean on and help in return, to have someone love her for her, and not abandon her for someone else.
But that was a fantasy, and she only had herself to rely on.
Yes, maybe he’d temporarily help her since she’d had a breakdown.
That surely didn’t reflect well on him, as her mate.
But once things were normal-looking again, he’d retreat back to his experiments and laboratory, and she’d be on her own again.
Still, she was tied to this dragonman—at least for now—so she replied, “I will try to be honest. I’m not used to speaking plainly or freely, though. So I might forget sometimes.”
His eyes found hers again, and his pupils flashed a few times. “So are you fine?”
It was harder than she thought to murmur, “No, I’m not fine.”
He nodded. “Then you need to tell me how to help after I give you this shot. It’s something I devised, to help human mothers nursing dragon-shifter babies. It should help raise your energy levels and help with your depression.”
She watched Trahern as he administered the concoction, barely registering the prick of the needle. He was intense, focused, and she wondered what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of such scrutiny. Maybe his focus and determination would translate well into other parts of their lives.
Such as being naked and in bed.
No. She wasn’t going to allow her thoughts down that path. He might be handsome with his dark hair and eyes—not to mention his deceptively strong, lean arms—but Grace was done with men, human or dragon. Her sons were all that mattered.
After he disposed of the syringe, he stood in front of her and asked, “What can I do to help you?”
“I-I don’t know.” He frowned, and she added, “I’m not being vague or polite. I’m always tired, and yet, I don’t trust anyone else to watch my boys alone, unless it’s Dawn and Daisy.”
“Not even Helena? Or me?”
She picked at her jeans. “Helena has helped, but I still don’t know her well. I think I only sort of trust Dawn and Daisy because of Daisy—she’s still a child, which means she’s more honest and straightforward.”
“Being honest and straightforward is my specialty.”
Did Trahern sound almost petulant?
Surely not. Still, she glanced up and noted he looked off to the side again. Normally, she’d drop it or make a sarcastic remark. However, that wouldn’t work with the dragonman. She remembered his words: “So will you be honest with me? I mean brutally honest.”
Taking a deep breath, she decided to see if he really meant it. “But you’re not as honest as you think you are.”
His eyes shot back to hers. “What do you mean?”
“Why have you kept away, Trahern? Because if you were as open as you believe, you would’ve at least told me why you needed space. I don’t begrudge you the distance since this isn’t a real mating. However, you ran away and hid, and that’s another form of dishonesty.”
As the seconds ticked by in silence, Grace waited to see if Trahern really wanted the truth from her or not.