♥ Chapter 27 ♥

Damien Darkmore.

I stayed late at the office today. I wasn't going to go home, but I couldn't concentrate on my work, so I decided to leave early. On the way back, something caught my eye near the bus stop. My heart almost stopped when I realized it was Yara.

Seeing her like that, cowering, her body shaking with cold, and her eyes full of tears, moved me deeply. The rain soaks her clothes and her hair, making her look even more fragile. I don't think twice; I stop the car abruptly and run to her.

'' Yara! For God's sake, what's happened?'' I ask, holding her frozen face between my hands. She's as cold as ice, and my instinct is to protect her. ''You're too cold, you're going to catch pneumonia.

She tries to resist as I pull her towards the car.

'' I'm going to wet the seat... '' she mumbles, almost without strength.

''I don't care about the fucking seat, just get in the car, Yara. '' I insist, with no patience for formalities.

She swallows dryly and finally gives in, getting into the front seat. I close the door and run to the driver's side, getting in too. My heart is still racing as I turn on the car's heater.

'' What's happened? Do you know what time it is?'' I ask, trying to keep my voice calm, but the anger is growing inside me.

He starts to shake more, and silent tears run down his face. I reach into the back seat, grab my lab coat, and put it over her shoulders.

''Try to hold on until we get home.'' I say, trying to convey some reassurance.

But when she finally speaks, her voice is just a whisper, broken by crying.

''I... I can't take it anymore... '' she begins, and each word is a blow to my chest. I don't want to go back to that house. Furthermore, I'm tired... I'm tired of so much humiliation... Please, Mr. Damien... Please ask Mr. Kael to help me with the divorce... I can't live with that man any longer...''

The pain in his voice is like a knife, and my blood boils with hatred for that bastard, Ronan. That son of a bitch is going to pay for leaving her like this and for making Yara suffer like this.

I hold her hand firmly and bring it to my lips, planting a soft kiss.

''Don't worry about anything else, Yara. You're not going back to that house.'' I say, my voice firm. ''We'll take care of everything. Know that you're safe now.

My decision is made. Ronan will pay for everything he's done.

On the way, I glance at Yara and see that she has fallen asleep, finally getting some rest. The tiredness and the cold have overwhelmed her, and her body has given in. Without thinking twice, I grab my cell phone and send a quick message to Magnus and Kael. I need to let them know that I found Yara at the bus stop in the rain and that I'm taking her home. They need to know what's going on.

''I found Yara. She was at the bus stop, alone and wet to the bone. I'm taking her home now. '' I write, pressing send immediately afterward.

I let out a deep sigh and looked at her again. Her delicate face is now serene, her eyes closed, but something catches my eye. A reddish mark on her cheek makes me grip the steering wheel tightly.

'' Son of a bitch... '' I mutter between my teeth, feeling the anger grow inside me like an uncontrollable flame.

Did Ronan hit her? Did that wretch dare raise his hand against her? Just thinking about it makes my blood boil. If he had the audacity to hurt her like that, he wouldn't get away with it. I'm going to make sure he pays dearly for every tear she's shed and for every mark he's left on her.

And it's not just me who's going to make sure of that. My brothers, Magnus and Kael, will also be furious when they find out what happened. Magnus has an explosive temper when it comes to injustices, and Kael, with his dangerous calm, knows exactly how to make someone suffer in every possible way. When they find out that Ronan has hurt Yara, they'll do anything to put an end to him. There will be no place in the world where he can hide.

I park the car in the mansion's garage and get out quickly, feeling the urgency of the situation. I turn the car around and open the door on the side where Yara is sleeping. Her body is still very cold, and I realize that if I don't do something quickly, she could end up getting sick. Carefully, I take her on my lap, feeling her fragile and exhausted body lean against mine.

I enter the mansion, and the only person I find in the living room is Magnus. He's sitting down, but as soon as he sees me, he gets up immediately with a serious expression on his face. Kael is probably on his way. Magnus approaches, his gaze fixed on Yara.

''What happened?'' He asks in a low tone so as not to wake her up.

I hold Yara tighter, concerned not to make her uncomfortable, as I answer:

''We'll talk later, brother. She needs to get out of those wet clothes. She's exhausted from crying.

I see Magnus' expression tighten even more when he hears that she's been crying. His jaw clenches, and I know he's controlling himself so he doesn't explode with rage.

'' Right. '' He just mutters, nodding.

I walk past him with Yara in my arms and take her straight to my room. I open the door and walk to the bathroom, careful not to wake her abruptly. Furthermore, I give her a gentle kiss on the forehead and call out to her, slowly waking her up.

''Yara, we're home now. You're in my room. Take a shower, put on one of my shirts, and go and rest in bed. I need to talk to my brothers, and you don't need to worry about anything now. Just rest. We'll talk later.

She opens her eyes slowly and looks at me, still with a tired look on her face, but agrees with a slight nod, without the strength to speak. I kiss her cheek and leave the room, going to my closet to get some clothes for myself since mine are also wet.

I walk to the guest room to change quickly. As soon as I've finished, I go downstairs. When I reach the living room, I see that Kael is already there, standing next to Magnus.

Magnus has a somber expression, while Kael keeps his face impassive, but I know they're both eager for answers. The air is heavy with the tension and anger we're all feeling.