Page 58 of Silverproof Damsel

Hope flared through my chest as I wrapped my arms around my midsection. “She’s coming? Right now?” I failed to conceal the anticipation from my tone. Taking only two steps closer to him, I placed my hand against the wall to hold myself up as dizziness caused my head to swim.

“You’re eating. Now,” he growled. Strolling toward me, he slid his hand to the small of my back, then guided me to the kitchen. “She’ll be permitted to visit if you agree to eat something.”

“Fine,” I conceded softly.

In the kitchen, he pulled out a chair and nodded his head, staring at me expectantly. Harrumphing, I sat down and watched him as he marched toward the fridge. There, he rolledup his sleeves before opening the door and pulling out several things from within.

“What are you making?” I asked inquiringly.

“Soup,” he stated as he pulled out a pan and a carton of broth.

Rhys grabbed a wok and began cutting strips of beef and green onions, along with a few other vegetables. Once the broth began to simmer, he added a dab of butter to the wok and sautéed the vegetables before adding the strips of beef.

He moved easily around the kitchen, as if he did it every day. The aroma of his cooking wasn’t unpleasant. It was shockingly inviting. My stomach growled, causing one side of his mouth to lift in a knowing smirk.

“I honestly didn’t know you could cook,” I admitted.

He laughed without mirth, then turned to study me before speaking. “Nyota had a food allergy when she was little. We didn’t know about allergies back in that era. That meant we had to get creative to ensure she made it to immortality,” he confessed.

My eyebrows pushed up on my forehead. I had never considered how people with allergies may have survived. Of course, they had more basic things back in those days. None of the processed shit we put into our bodies nowadays.

“She was lucky to have you.”

One dark eyebrow lifted before his head slowly bobbed in response. “Lucky to have us,” he corrected. “It took all of us to raise her. Nyota was rather feral as a child.”

I tried to imagine Nyota as a child. A clap of laughter escaped before I could prevent it from leaving my lips. My palm landed against my mouth, and my shoulders shook. Rhys’ expression silently questioned me, forcing clarification from me.

“I was trying to imagine her as a child. Keep in mind, it’s the same girl who shouted ‘halt, who goes there?’when the alphasshowed up at the house. She’s stiff, admittedly. I adore her, but there’s no way she was a feral child.”

He chuckled as his dark head slowly shook in reply. “I assure you. My sister was unquestionably wild. There was a time when I wasn’t sure she’d make it to her immortality. I’d promised my father to ensure she survived, meaning I had to keep my word.” A dark look slid over his face before he turned, stirring the veggies. Pulling the skillet from the burner, he dumped it straight into the pan.

“I wish I’d been raised with my brothers.” My brothers were close, but not close enough to have assisted me with anything other than weaponry or training.

My life would’ve been much easier if I’d had someone who looked after me other than Winchester. Not that I wasn’t thankful for her, but having a father figure would’ve been nice to have known. That feeling of protection added to the layer of security everyone needed. I’d never had it until I’d met Rhys.

“Your brothers didn’t help raise you?”

Shaking my head slowly, I looked anywhere else but at him. “I had Winchester. She raised me. She was enough for me.”

“Roslyn didn’t raise you?” I caught the catch in his voice. Anger resonated in it as he’d said her name.

“She didn’t even give me a name. We weren’t worth one to her. When we did get names, it was after what weapon we’d fired first.”

“You have a middle name.” Turning back toward him, I nodded. “Alaina isn’t a brand name for a weapon.”

“Winchester named me, Rhys. She wanted me to know I was loved. None of the others has a middle name. We had other siblings. Ones who never received names. They are buried in the forest around the cabin. Well, where it stood before it blew up.”

Rhys’ eyes thinned before he moved to the cupboard to retrieve a bowl. Silently, he grabbed a ladle, then strolled to thestove again. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I twisted my lips as I inwardly chided myself for bringing up my childhood.

“Our child will be worth more than what it can do for us.”

“Unquestionably so,” I agreed without hesitation. “I’m not her, Rhys. I won’t be a bad mother.”

“You’ve named our child Bullet.”

My lips parted before clamping shut. Rubbing my temples, I exhaled a shuddered breath. “I only called the babe that because, at the time, that’s what size it was. That wasn’t supposed to stick. I didn’t want to name our child without you. I would’ve done so if you’d remained out of our lives, but it wasn’t my intention to do so.”

Rhys placed a steaming bowl of ramen before me. My stomach growled with approval as the delicious scent of beef and vegetables hit my nose.

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