*Ryder*
The house is quiet now, the faint sounds of a movie flickering in the background as I watch Aria tuck the twins back into their beds. They might be teens, but at a moment like this they still very much need their mom, and they deserve a dad, a part I am more than willing to take.
I lean against the doorframe, my heart swelling with a fierce protectiveness. The way she gathers them close, her soft whispers soothing their fears, reminds me of why I fight so hard to keep them safe.
Once the last goodnight is whispered, she slips out of the room, my heart racing slightly as I wrap an arm around her. She’s a whirlwind of love and bravery, a true lioness, but I see the shadows that linger in her eyes, the remnants of fear, not for herself but for everyone around her..
As we make ou
