Page 82 of Royal Beast
“Kellan!” she cries out, slick gushing from her entrance. I lap up every drop, trying to hold her steady, but as soon as her hips come to a final rest, I gently lift her off me and sit up, bringing her back to my chest.
“How are you feeling now?” I ask, cradling her head in my hands as I examine her. “Are you still shaken up?”
“I feel better,” she admits, her voice low and quiet. “You helped me get out of my head and feel like I was in control of things again. Everything around us has been falling apart, and I feel like you’re the anchor holding me together. Thank you, Kellan.”
“I hope it wasn’t too much,” I murmur, kissing her cheek.
“It was exactly what I needed,” she assures me. “You were right. The pain of the paddling helped me stop thinking and stressing. I could just be in the moment.”
She kisses my lips, her hand resting against my face. “Thank you, Kellan. I wasn’t hurt, just totally freaked out after everything. I didn’t want to go to the hospital and feel like some kind of victim with a bunch of questions and nurses poking and prodding at me.”
I rest my forehead against hers. “I’d do anything for you, Darcy. You and Rose, you’re my whole world.”
Clary smiles at that. “Let’s get cleaned up and have Clary bring Rose home. She deserves some kind of explanation about what’s going on,” she says, standing up. I follow behind, still in awe of the trust she’s able to place in me.
I just hope that I can continue to protect her from all the bad stuff that’s going on lately.
39
DARCY
The sound of the door opening makes me sit up straighter, and Rose’s giggles follow soon after. She barrels into the room, her energy a welcome contrast to the weight I’ve been carrying.
“Mama!” she squeals, throwing her arms around me. I catch her, pulling her close.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I say, smoothing her hair. “Did you have fun with Auntie Clary?”
She starts babbling about their day at the park while Clary’s eyes meet mine, her brows drawn with concern. “You okay?” she asks quietly.
“I’m fine,” I reassure her, managing a small smile. “Thanks for everything.”
She studies me for a moment before nodding. “Okay. Call me if you need anything.” After giving Rose a quick hug, she slips out.
Kellan crouches in front of us, his expression soft but serious. “Rosie Posie, we need to talk to you for a second, okay? Just something important.”
Rose’s face shifts, her smile fading. “Am I in trouble?”
“No, baby,” I say, squeezing her hand. “We just want to tell you what happened when I got home.”
Kellan takes over, his voice steady. “Mama had something scary happen to her, but I found her and brought her home. She’s safe now.”
Rose looks up at me, her lip wobbling slightly. “Really?”
“Really,” I say, kissing her forehead. “I’m here to stay.”
Kellan’s tone turns gentle but firm. “We also want to show you what to do if something scary ever happens to you. Just a few things to remember, okay?”
Rose nods, her little face serious.
“If someone tries to grab you,” Kellan says, “we want you to yell as loud as you can for Mama or me.”
“And if they try to tie your hands, you can try to pull them apart really hard, like this.” I demonstrate quickly, and Rose mimics the movement.
“And you keep wiggling if someone grabs you,” Kellan adds. “Like a little worm.”
Rose’s face lights up briefly. “A wiggle worm?”
“Exactly,” I say with a small smile. “You’re so smart.”
