Page 53 of Beyond Repair: Part Two
Chapter 31
Henry
It's been a little over four weeks now, and we've heard absolutely nothing about where Mr. M is hiding out now. He could be in plain fucking sight for all we know because he hides behind his disguises.
All we need to do is watch over Nina and help our girl live her life to the fullest. Except, dating her within the confines of her home and backyard is becoming difficult. She's bored with TV, and her head hurts periodically after reading for more than an hour.
According to Will, Nina being forced to cut back on her reading isn't necessarily a bad thing. Which Ridge had a hard time accepting and proceeded to go on a ten-minute rant about how beneficial reading is.
Will's eyebrows were raised most of the conversation like he was waiting for my friend to get to the part about the smut factor. I guess Meg has been reading Nina's list too.
The moral of that story is we're all way too close, all the damn time, which has resulted in unsolicited opinions. If Neen's booksmake her happy and allow her to escape the world for a while, who am I to judge? I definitely won't be stopping her.
Don't get me wrong, I love being with my family and building the foundations of our team. It's just that being cooped up has never been our preferred setting.
Kai's a great example. There's only so many times he can vlog about past hikes and what kind of gear he's found useful in certain terrains. He's doing well enough, but still. My fiancé thrives on freedom and physical exertion.
Ridge is pretty aimless, which only ramps up the anxiety in the house. Although, his creative side is definitely getting some good attention. The shit he's making iscolorful. In a world as bleak as our outside one, we all cherish his creativity.
Trevor's focus is directed so fiercely at Nina that I'm afraid he won't reacclimate to the real world. I would be worried about their business if I didn't already know they've done all the work years ago to start entrusting their teams. Trevor and Ridge have done well enough that they can take a step back. For that, I feel pride and hope that Kai and I will get to continue seeing them more in the future too.
I'm mainly just sick of everyone arguing. Rarely are we rude when Nina's around, but still it's hard not to get annoyed when Ridge bumps into the fridge door when I'm clearly on the other side of it.
I dread having the restrictions lifted. If that happens and Mr. M is still out there, there will be nothing to force us inside. Nina will have the option to be vulnerable just like she has been since she escaped. This is like our own slice of protected heaven, but we can’t stay like this forever. What happens if the threat still lingers?
"This is ridiculous. Why can't they make an exception?" Kai's hand slams down on the counter, making me jump. He sends mean apologetic look, but it doesn't last long because he's back to arguing with Trev. "We can't leave."
Christ, ifanyoneneeds to leave, it's my man. Outgoing and adventurous do not pair well with restrictions.
Ridge groans and lifts his head from the table where he has been nursing a headache. "Kai, we'll be gone for an hour. Hour and a half max. Will, Meg, and Adam will be here the whole time."
Kai purses his lips but his shoulders droop slightly. "We shouldn't leave her."
"We'll only be ten minutes away." Trevor sounds tired and annoyed; I can't blame him. Nina's reading in bed right now, so we only have a little longer to hash out our bullshit. "It's standard to sign the papers in person. You know this. They're already accommodating us to do it here in town."
I eye my fiancé's jaw as it clenches over and over again. Trying to diffuse the tension, I ask, "What time do we have to be there on Thursday?" I already know the answer.
"2:30," Trevor states, relaxing a little with a question he can actually answer.
I nod. "Are we all driving together?" It's Tuesday, so it makes sense I would ask, but we talked about this yesterday.
"No..." Ridge draws out the word like he's confused by my sudden memory issues. "We agreed to take two cars."
"Right." I snap my fingers as if it finally clicked. "Just in case one car breaks down, we still have a way to get back if something's wrong. See?" I place my hand on Kai's back. "We have a good plan, and if it's taking too long we can always leave, alright?"
It takes him a moment, then Kai finally nods. The move looks pained, but I take it as a win since nobody's face is beet red trying to hold back their anger. Just in time too.
Nina pads into the kitchen with a small pout and droopy eyes. "I have a headache," she murmurs, looking adorable as shit in my T-shirt and her small shorts.
Trevor straightens like he's just gotten the call to go to war. Stomping over to Neen, he grips her chin and studies her features before bringing her to the couch. "Sit," he whispers, cognizant of her aching brain.
I help tuck her in with a blanket, and Ridge disappears upstairs. Kai pours a glass of water and brings out a few painkillers.
She takes her meds and gives my fiancé a sweet smile. "Thank you, fauna."
"Always," he replies and kisses her gently.
Ridge bounds into the living room and Nina's eyes immediately zone in on her e-reader in his hands. "I'm going to read to you," he says cheerfully with a wink.
Nina's cheeks redden, but he pays her no mind as he lifts her feet and sits beneath her legs. The smirk Ridge was wearing turns fuckingdirtywhen he gets a look at the page Neen was on.This night is turning around.
