“I know.” He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. I understood. Trauma took a lot from a person. He patted my arm before he walked out of the room.

There was an armchair in the corner of the room near the door with a few clothes. I removed the clothes, picked up the chair, and placed it next to the bed. When I accidentally landed it down a little heavy, I cringed and looked at West. Mercifully, he did not wake. What helped would be the drugs Lucas had a man from the brotherhood retrieve from the hospital—a call he made on the drive back to the house. Lucas had also set up fluids to help counter the damage the vinegar had done.

I closed my eyes, once more wishing I had not let the rage take me over when I saw West chained to the floor. If the father was alive, I would enjoy delivering pain to him slowly, like I would the mother.

My eyes flashed open when West moaned. His brows drew down in his sleep; his breathing grew ragged. I knew a nightmare had taken him. Resting my chest to the edge of the mattress, I placed a folded arm on the bed, leaning onto it. I used my free hand to softly run over his sweat-beaded forehead. “I am here, moya lyubov’. No one has you. Sleep peacefully. I will stay here at your side to watch over.”

Eventually, the tension eased from him, but I did not stop running my fingers through his hair. I dropped my head to rest on my arm. Lucas had gently washed his face while West had been passed out. His lips were redder than usual, and Lucas had told me inside West’s mouth was the same. Irritated from the vinegar.

When West shivered, I pulled the sheet up and over his bandaged back. The sight of him kneeling on the floor swept through my mind, and I thinned my lips to keep the growl at bay. His wrist was also bandaged; his knees were covered in gauze pads protecting the deep scrapes. Bruises showed on his ribs, and the tops of his feet were grazed.

All of it told us he had tried to fight.

He would have been scared out of his mind. Traumatized to see these actions coming from his parents.

No, my West had done nothing to warrant what happened.

I would do everything in my power to make sure he lived his life in happiness and love.

A soft knock sounded on the door. I straightened, placing my fingers on the end of his to make sure West knew subconsciously someone was there with him. “Da?”