Bonus Content #5
He carries her to the couch and settles with her in his lap.
Max grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and hands it to her before sitting beside them, pulling her feet into his lap.
I stand there watching, my arms crossed, tension coiling in my muscles.
She tries to open the bottle, but watching her struggle angers me for some reason.
That’s when I move. My boots are heavy on the floor as I walk toward them, and I see her shrink back slightly. Again, I don’t like it. I lower myself onto the coffee table in front of her, keeping my movements slow. She looks so damn small.
I reach forward, giving her time to pull away, but she doesn’t.
I take the bottle from her trembling fingers, twist off the cap and hand it back, watching as she takes a sip.
When I extend my hand again, she hesitates before handing it back, confused.
I screw the lid back on and set the bottle aside.
She doesn’t look away from me, her eyes searching mine for something.
“What happened?” My voice comes out rougher than intended, my Russian accent thick with frustration. Not at her, but at whoever left her like this.
Jasper speaks up. “We’re not sure. We were driving when I saw her sitting by a fence, crying.” His grip on her tightens, his voice hard on the last word.
Her cheeks flush, and she looks away, embarrassed. I hate that she feels that way. I hate the fact that she was sitting on the curb alone, crying, even more.
I lean in slightly, keeping my voice softer this time. “Malishka, tell me what happened.”
She shivers. A different kind of shiver than fear, I think. Something deeper. She drops her eyes, fidgeting with the hem of the oversized hoodie she’s wearing. I wait, but she doesn’t speak. Of course not, they told me she was mute.
Without thinking, I move forward, slipping my arms around her and lifting her from Jasper’s lap. She stiffens for only a moment before relaxing into me, her small arms looping around my neck instinctively. I hold her legs securely to my left side as I turn toward the kitchen.
“It’s alright, Malishka, I’ve got you,” I murmur, running a hand over her back. She’s trembling, but I feel the smallest shift in her body—some of the tension easing. That’s all I need. I’ll carry her all damn night if it helps.
There is something about the way she looks at me, something unexplainable. A pull, like gravity. Something that makes me want to keep her close, like she’s mine to protect.
The others move around the kitchen as we enter.
Ben’s voice rings out, bright and easy, as he gathers food.
“I read that eating your favorite foods can make you feel better. They also say listening to certain songs can boost your mood by up to one hundred percent. Other ways to increase your endorphins are to exercise, sing, dance, or do something you love.”
His words seem to relax her. I feel her body settle more against mine, her grip loosening slightly.
I lower her onto the island, watching closely as she pulls back just enough to look at me.
My hand shifts from the back of her head to her chin, tilting her face up.
She doesn’t pull away, and for a second, it’s just the two of us.
She’s so fucking beautiful, even with the worry still lingering in her expression. I give her the smallest smile, something just for her. Her cheeks heat, and I fight the urge to smooth my thumb over her skin.
“Mina, this is our brother, Ben,” Max says.
Her gaze shifts between them, confusion flickering in her eyes. Max grins before speaking. “We call each other brothers, but only Jasper and I are blood related.”
That seems to satisfy her curiosity for now. She’s still tense, but the fear has faded into something else.
Ben claps his hands together excitedly. “Alright, Princess, let’s see what we can do to lift your spirits!”
“Unless you want to tell us what has you so upset? I can get you a pen and paper,” Dom says, making her turn in his direction.
“That’s Dominic, or Dom for short,” Jasper introduces him.
She shakes her head and bites her lip. Instinctively I use my thumb to pull her lip free from my teeth and give her a soft smile to ease the possessiveness of that action. But I don’t want anyone hurting her, not even herself.
“Okay, take a look, Princess. What do you want to eat?” Ben asks. I keep my focus on Mina as she scans the food Ben has set out. Her eyes widen slightly. Eventually, she points to a banana.
“And to drink?” Dom asks, and she points to the milk. Ben pours her a glass of milk as Dom grabs a banana and peels it.
He comes to stand beside us and holds it out for her. I watch as she hesitates. Then her fingers, still clutching the front of my shirt, tighten, and she leans forward, taking a bite straight from his hand.
Dom stiffens beside me, his blue eyes darkening. Fire burns in his gaze as he watches her with something akin to possession.
I don’t blame him. I feel it too.
I hope you enjoyed this special edition of the Shattered Silence Duet!