Unease at Laura’s silence sits heavy in my gut. I feel helpless, and I hate the feeling. She’s only said a few words since we left the farm, giving me directions to Ailith’s friend’s house, and if her hand wasn’t intertwined with mine, resting on my lap, I’d be worried about her state of mind.

I’d probably think that we were taking a step back, instead of forward, in our relationship.

But I still hate the silence.

“I was so in love with James.”

I spin my head in her direction.

“What?”

For the first time since we left, she glances at me.

“Ailith’s father,” she starts on a loud breath. “I was completely lost in him from the day I met him.”

I grind my teeth, feeling a sense of irrational resentment towards the man already.

“I thought you said he wasn’t your soul mate?” I turn on the indicator and go easy on the brake before I take the next turn.

“He wasn’t.”

I wait, anxious to hear more, but dreading it at the same time.

Her fingers flex in my hand.

“I’m going to tell you a story, Kristian.”

Puzzled, I glance at her, but she stares straight ahead.

“Once upon a time,” she starts, “there lived a young woman on a farm, who had the world at the ends of her fingertips. She was outgoing, friendly, but she could also be a little arrogant.”

A huff escapes her lips, and I squeeze her hand, silently encouraging her to go on.

“One night, she was at a party, and she met a man there. He was charismatic, with a worldly air about him, and he struck up a conversation with her. They seemed to have a lot in common, and when this man walked her home, he asked for her number. The woman thought that she had met a real gentleman, so she gave it to him. She hadn’t lost her heart to him already, of course—she knew men, and she wasn’t shy about her past—but this one wasn’t like the others, and he intrigued her.”

I blink, wondering where this story is going.

“Anyway, they embarked on a passionate journey together, and, little by little, the man and woman fell in love with each other. And only three months after they’d met, the man proposed to her—can you guess her answer?”

Her question throws me for a loop, and I chance another glance at her. Her eyes are fixated on our hands, and the sadness in her smile makes my gut churn.

“She said yes, didn’t she?” I ask gruffly.

“Yes, she did. Her parents weren’t too pleased with it, seeing as the couple hadn’t known each other for that long, but they saw how happy their daughter was, so they kept their doubts to themselves. The couple threw the wedding of the year, or so the story goes, and six months after their first meeting, they had the pleasure of calling themselves husband and wife.”

Laura’s dark chuckle makes me grit my teeth.

“The woman hadn’t lived with a man before, but she was so excited to start a life with him. She agreed immediately when he declared that they were to live in London, because of his job. It was so far away from her parents, but she was happy. The man had promised her the world, and now he was, to her, fulfilling his vow. She was at a crossroads in her life, and she had grown bored of village life.”

“It’s only natural that she would feel like that. What happened then?” I ask.

“Well, the couple moved, the woman told her parents and friends goodbye, and all seemed well. At least for a while.”

“And?”

“The man was a banker, and he worked long hours. The woman realised that his job could be very demanding, but she understood, for the most part, why he was a little temperamental when he came home. She tried to please him, wanting to ease his life, so she made sure dinner was on the table each night. She made sure his clothes were clean and ironed, and since she didn’t have a job of her own, she thought she might as well try to help out at home as much as she could.”

I drag my teeth over my lips, wondering where all this is going.

“Eventually,” Laura sighs next to me, “life became a little boring for the woman. One night, her husband came home later than usual, and she was angry that he hadn’t phoned her. She started arguing with him, but the man laughed at her. He said nasty things to her, taunting her about being nothing more than a country girl who didn’t have enough of a brain to find out what to do with her own time. Saying that if she weren’t such a gorgeous woman and such a good shag, he’d never have married her.”

My mouth dries up.

“What the fuck?” I whisper.

As if she hasn’t heard me, she continues the story.

“The woman got angry and slapped him across his cheek—but little did she know what such an act would set off in her husband.”

My knuckles turn white on the wheel in front of me.

Her voice falls flat, toneless, as if this is somebody else’s story.

“The man seemed surprised, at first, but then his features turned ugly—menacing—and he grabbed his wife and punched her in her stomach.”

“What the ever loving hell?!” I explode. “He did what?”

Laura places her hand on my arm, digging her nails in.

“Sophie’s home is just up there,” she says, her voice back to normal. I follow her other hand as she points to a red house not far from us, and I slow down the car.

As I turn the ignition off, I hunch over the steering wheel and glance at the woman next to me. Her eyes seem lifeless—detached and cold.

“What happened next?” I whisper.

She avoids my gaze as she unhooks her seatbelt and opens the door. Afraid I won’t get the answer I need, I touch her face, stopping her until her eyes lift to meet mine. On a small sigh, she wets her lips before she answers.

“He raped her. That night, he raped his wife for the first time.”

I pinch my eyes closed in agony as she leaves me alone in the car. I can’t believe it. How the fuck can any man treat a woman like that? Rage fills me, egging me on to punch something—anything—but knowing that Laura will return with Ailith soon stops me.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Laura’s story wasn’t about anyone else but herself. I open my eyes and watch as Laura knocks on the door, her head held high, and I lean my head back as I will my temper to settle down.

Everything about Laura makes a lot more sense now, and yet…she remains a mystery. How much history does she have left to tell me about?

Dread settles in my gut as I watch Ailith in the doorway, clinging to Laura as she hides her face against her mum’s stomach. I swallow the lump in my throat as Laura picks her up. I get out of the car and wait for them to reach me. The other woman—Cat’s mother, I suppose—picks up Ailith’s bag and follows behind them to the garden gate. I can’t tear my eyes away from Laura as she appears to whisper in her daughter’s ear. I rub my face, feeling poorly equipped to handle this situation, before I open the door to the backseat.

“Thank you,” Laura murmurs to me as she places Ailith in the car.

“Don’t mention it,” I grunt.

I bite my tongue at the way she flinches, but it’s too late to take them back. I’m still fired up inside.

I take the bag from the woman and give her a tired smile in thanks.

Wanting to get both my girls home, I open the door and push the bag onto the passenger’s seat beside me. As I turn the ignition, I glance back at them. Ailith is curled up in her mum’s lap, her face hiding in her hair, and the sight of her small hands clinging to Laura makes my chest twinge with sadness.

Ailith doesn’t seem like an eight-year-old anymore. It’s like she’s withered, a mere shadow of the bright, bubbly girl I have come to know the past few weeks. My eyes trail up Laura’s face—the tears on her cheeks don’t surprise me, but I wish I could do or say something that would help her.

Sighing softly, I turn back and buckle my seatbelt, and then I take them home.

* * *

I fire off a quick text to Alex the minute Laura has taken Ailith inside.

I grit my teeth, annoyed at what he implies.

Roughly, I grab Ailith’s bag and open the door. Tension coils in my stomach as I slam it closed harder than necessary, but I try to shake it off as I walk to the house. I don’t have to wait long for Alex’s reply.

I take a deep breath as I open the back door. I turn towards the kitchen but back away when I don’t see them there, and then I stop at the foot of the stairs, wondering what the hell I do now.

“Laura?” I call softly.

“We’re in Ailith’s room,” she calls down.

I take the stairs two steps at a time, passing Laura’s room and walking to the end of the hall where I think Ailith’s bedroom is. As I stop in the doorway, I breathe a small sigh of relief when I find them lying on the bed, Laura’s front to Ailith’s back, their hands interlaced, and I quirk an eyebrow at Ailith when her eyes flicker in my direction. I don’t hesitate, but walk closer to the bed and then crouch down, keeping my movements slow. The wariness in her eyes is so foreign to me—it’s not something I thought I’d ever see in a child so young—and it cracks my heart.

“Hey, girlie,” I whisper.

“Hey.”

“I heard you had a rough night.” Slowly, I raise my hand and wipe some strands of hair away from her face. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she sniffles, only making me shake my head.

“No, it’s not. But…” I chance a glance at Laura. Her eyes are wide open, following my every move. Resolved to take care of them, I look back at Ailith and smile slowly at her.

“What do you say about us having a Disney marathon?”

Her brows knit together.

“Like, watch movies all day?”

I nod.

“Exactly.” I point to the TV and DVD hanging on the wall opposite her bed. “You must have some of them, yeah?”

And if she doesn’t, I vow silently, I’ll go to the nearest town and buy every single one.

She bites her lips as she mulls over my suggestion.

“Well, yes. I have Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin, Narnia, Hercules, The Little Mermaid, and…”

“Okay,” Laura interrupts her gently. “Which one do you want to watch first, sweetie?”

Ailith leans up on her elbow and looks back at her.

“Definitely Beauty & The Beast.”

I chuckle, happy that her spark is returning and raise my head at Laura.

“Do you have popcorn?”

She nods, eyes softening, and I straighten my back.

“Excellent. You can’t have a movie marathon without it.” I wink at Ailith when she giggles at me. “Where is it?” I ask Laura as I start to move back to the door.

“Wait, please.”

I turn around, puzzled that she’s getting up from the bed. The lingering kiss she places on top of Ailith’s head makes my heart swell.

“I’ll go make it for you. Why don’t you stay here and get the movie up? Ailith will help you.”

“Are you sure?” I ask her softly.

She stops in front of me and looks up at me. Then she glances at Ailith who seems busy with the stuffed toys on her bed, and when Laura’s fingers touch my cheek briefly, I gasp softly at her open display of affection.

“I’m sure. You’ll only mess up Mum’s kitchen, and she won’t like that.”

I grin down at her.

“Okay, then.” I tilt my head at Ailith. “Is that okay with you, girlie?”

The smile she turns my way eases my concern.

“Yes, Kristian.”

“I won’t be long,” Laura murmurs and then leaves us alone.

Thinking quickly, I hold my hand up to Ailith.

“One second. I forgot to tell your mum something.”

I run after Laura, calling her name softly to make her stop.

“Hang on.”

“What is it?” she asks as I come to a stop in front of her.

Without answering her, I lean down and frame her face in my hands.

“You okay?”

Her eyes warm as she nods.

“Yes, Kristian. I’m okay.”

I wet my lips and touch her lips briefly. I need to show her how much I care for her.

“Good,” I whisper. “Now, go get me some popcorn, woman.” I grin as she rolls her eyes at me. “I’m starving.”

“I’m not your woman,” she scoffs, laughter dancing in her eyes.

I quirk an eyebrow at her.

“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart.” I kiss her gently, only this time I trail her lips with my tongue, teasing her, before I lean away. “You’re the only woman I see now. There’s no one else for me.”

Her eyes widen at my almost-declaration of love, but when I kiss the tip of her nose and drop my hands from her face, I change the subject. “Food, please.”

Muttering almost unintelligibly about overdramatic gestures, she shakes her head before she walks downstairs. I grin at her retreating back one last time, before I hurry back to Ailith.

“Sorry,” I apologise as I enter her room. She’s sitting on the floor, heaps of DVDs tossed here and there in front of her.

“That’s okay,” she smiles at me and hands me Beauty & The Beast. When I take it from her, I’m surprised that she doesn’t release it. Instead, she tugs me closer, and I bend my knees. Her eyes are so serious as she scrutinises my face, I’m almost scared to find out what has her so thoughtful.

“Are you Mummy’s boyfriend now?”

“Errh…”

My body locks in place, and for the first time in years, I feel warmth creeping up my neck.

What the fuck do I say to her?

“Because I don’t mind if you are,” she starts. She pushes up on her knees, releases the movie, and then walks back to the bed.

“Good to know,” I mutter as I get up. I put the DVD into its slot, my back to her. I turn on the TV as I mull over the right way to answer her.

“So, are you dating her?”

Feeling nervous, I walk slowly back to her and sit down. I puff out my cheeks before I answer her.

“Yes, we’re dating.” I glance down at her from the corner of my eyes.

“Huh.” She pulls at her lip, looking so serious as she sits with her legs crossed in the middle of the bed. I wonder if I shouldn’t have said anything. She scrunches up her nose before she shrugs. “Just be nice to her, please?”

Fucking hell.

I turn my head and look into her eyes, my hand on my heart.

“I promise I will never hurt her, Ailith. You have my word. And I won’t ever hurt you, either. Got it?”

She nods and then rests her back against her mountain of pink pillows.

“Okay.”

Making an effort to relax, I lean back next to her.

“Okay, then.”

I pick up the remote control from the dresser next to the bed and hit play.

Ailith’s soft voice grabs my attention.

“Her favourite flowers are pink daisies.”

I look down and grin at her.

“Thanks for the tip.”

She beams up at me before she rests her head against my arm. A strange feeling settles in my gut at her show of trust.

“You’re welcome,” she sighs.

Twisting a little, I raise my arm, wrapping my hand on the headboard, giving her more room to get comfortable, and when that small gesture earns me another blinding smile, a different kind of warmth—one I can’t quite define—seeps into my bones.

Then I cross my feet at my ankles, turn my head back to the screen, and focus on the movie.