Page 41 of Gorgeous Nightmare

I slide in next to her, pulling her into my chest as Kassius moves to shut the door. The boys rush around the SUV and hop in the front. The sound of the doors slamming is loud enough to jostle Aisling awake.

Her eyelids flutter as she looks up at me and smiles.

She fucking smiles.

Even after everything. Even after all the pain, the torture. Even with blood drying on her skin, she still manages to find her spark.

And I realize–fuck.

Being in love with her…

It was never supposed to be comfortable. Never safe, or easy.

It’s not about fixing her, proving something, or some fucked up idea of saving her.

It’s about her, in all her broken rage.

How she bleeds quietly and still fights.

She’s not a prize to be won.

She’s a goddess who never asked for worship, but I bowed anyway.

I’m not the center of this story.

I’m just the fool who couldn’t stay away.

CHAPTER 35

Ronan

Ash is waiting in my apartment when we arrive. She turned the living room into some apothecary slash emergency medic room. A mixture of old apothecary tools, gauze, antiseptic, and tinctures in all kinds of bottles. It smells like incense and bleach. Witchy and clinical.

Lex and I move to place her down on the couch. She groans in protest as the pain finally starts to catch up to her.

The boys make their way out of the room, giving us space. I hover over my girl, holding my breath as Ash moves quickly to dress her wounds and wash away the dried blood from her skin.

She works quietly, not flinching at the blood and gore as she mumbles something ancient under her breath. I notice her pause as she makes her way to Aisling's stomach, her brows furrowing in confusion.

“Do you know if he did anything to her, placed anything in her?” She questions.

“I, uh, I don’t know honestly. He only had her for twenty-five hours, so I don’t think that would be enough time for her body to heal from something like that.”

She huffs, frowning to herself. “There’s something here. I can feel it. It’s something ancient, but I don’t think it’s necessarily bad.”

She pauses, trying to think it out in her head. “It feels like it’s reacting to her body, with it. Like it belongs there. Like something is waking up. I know this sounds crazy, but I can feel it, Ronan.”

Ash continues to work on her for a while longer before turning to me. “She’s stable for now, but whatever that thing is inside of her, we need to keep an eye on it. Take her to bed and let her rest, she’llneed a dose of this every three hours,” she says before handing me a small bottle of some oil and herb concoction.

“One dropper full under her tongue for as long as she can stand, and that,” she points to a small container filled with a light green balmy mixture, “will help treat the bruises.”

“Whenever her pain acts up, use a thick layer and rub it in until it’s completely dissolved. I’ll work on making more tonight, so don’t worry about using it all,” she urges, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’m going to be here, at least until morning. I want to be close in case anything starts to go south, so just yell if you need anything.”

I nod and move to scoop Aisling into my arms. She stirs but doesn’t wake.

“Thank you… for everything.” I look at Ash, and I can see the pain in her face, the pain she’s trying so hard to hide.

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