Chapter Fourteen - Guarded Eyes and Growing Smiles
1167 Words
Evelyn padded down the hall, the soft hem of her sleep shirt brushing against her bare legs. Her hair was still damp from her shower, pulled into a lazy twist at the nape of her neck. The morning light filtered gently through the windows as the compound began to stir.
She’d woken up feeling… different.
Grounded.
Still a little breathless from the night before, but steady.
There was a strange calm inside her. A flicker of ownership. Of quiet confidence she hadn’t felt before.
And she was craving her morning tea.
But just as she reached the threshold of the kitchen, a strong hand shot out in front of her.
Ronan.
He appeared from seemingly nowhere, stepping directly into her path with a sharp but careful motion.
She froze.
Her heart spiked, throat tightening. Had she done something wrong? Was she not allowed in yet?
His voice was low but quick, already reading her reaction. “No—no, you’re fine. You didn’t do anything.”
Her eyes darted up to meet his.
There was no anger in them. Just mild exasperation… and a touch of amusement.
“I’m protecting you,” he said dryly.
Her brows pulled together. “From what?”
He gave her a long look. Then glanced back over his shoulder toward the kitchen.
“Maddox and Remy are…” He cleared his throat. “Let’s just say they’re not making coffee in there.”
Evelyn blinked. “Oh.”
“Yeah.”
A pause.
Her lips parted like she wanted to say something, but all that came out was a quiet, “Okay.”
Ronan looked down at her, still holding his arm out like a barrier, even though she’d stopped moving entirely.
“You sure you want to go in there right now?” he asked.
“I… kind of just wanted tea.”
He ran a hand through his messy morning hair and exhaled through his nose. “Give it ten minutes. They’re usually faster than they think they are.”
Evelyn let out a startled laugh—quiet and muffled, but real. She clapped a hand over her mouth almost instantly, as if surprised she’d made the sound.
Ronan’s lips quirked.
“That a laugh?” he asked, mock-serious.
“Maybe.”
“Well now I have to keep you here. That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”
She shook her head, smiling softly. “You’re not what I expected.”
“I get that a lot.”
They stood there for a moment in the hallway, sunlight pouring in around them, laughter lingering between their feet like smoke.
Then Evelyn tilted her head and whispered, “Is this normal here?”
“Remy and Maddox? Absolutely. They’ve been like that since day one. Won’t stop until someone makes a sarcastic comment or knocks on the wall.”
“Are you going to knock on the wall?”
Ronan gave her a devilish side glance. “Why would I ruin their morning?”
She laughed again. Softer this time. More at ease.
And Ronan, for just a second, let himself watch her.
The subtle change in her eyes. The quiet humor. That lingering flush in her cheeks he hadn’t noticed before but sure as hell did now.
She looked different this morning.
Not in how she dressed or moved—but in how she carried herself. Something in her had shifted.
He didn’t know what it was.
But he liked it.
A lot.
The sun was starting to dip behind the trees when Evelyn stepped out onto the porch. The heat of the day had softened into a golden warmth, and a breeze rolled in across the yard, tugging gently at her hair.
Remy was already there, feet propped up on the porch rail, a glass of white wine in one hand and a relaxed, knowing smile on her face.
Without saying a word, she tilted the bottle toward the empty glass on the side table next to her. “Sit down, angel. You earned it.”
Evelyn slid into the seat beside her, curling one leg under her. She took the glass gratefully and sipped. It was crisp and cold and a little fruity—nothing like the bitter things her father used to drink. This wine tasted like freedom.
Remy gave her a once-over. “You’re glowing.”
Evelyn laughed into her glass. “I am not.”
“You so are. That’s a post-discovery glow if I’ve ever seen one.”
Evelyn ducked her head, cheeks warming. “Okay, fine. I talked to Jules.”
“Mmhmm.” Remy nodded like she already knew. “And?”
Evelyn hesitated, then smiled—soft, unsure, but proud. “And… I listened.”
Remy grinned. “So, you took her advice.”
“I did.”
There was a silence between them, not awkward at all—just full of quiet understanding.
Remy reached out, clinked their glasses together with a wink. “To learning what you like.”
Evelyn giggled, letting the wine loosen her tongue a little more. “It was… weird. But not bad. Kind of… amazing, actually. It felt like taking something back.”
Remy’s eyes softened with something deeper. “That’s because it was.”
She took a long sip from her glass before adding, “You’re doing damn good, Evelyn. More than you think. Every day I see you standing taller. Laughing more. Owning space you didn’t used to claim.”
“I still don’t really know what I’m doing.”
“You’re healing, babe. That’s messy. Confusing. But it’s also brave as hell.”
Evelyn swirled her glass, voice lower now. “I’ve never even let myself think about being with someone. And now… sometimes I look at Ronan and I wonder…”
Remy smiled like she’d been waiting for that.
Evelyn glanced at her. “Is that stupid?”
“No,” Remy said softly. “That’s human.”
Then she smirked, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Besides… maybe one morning you’ll wake up to your man giving you a mind-blowing o****m in the kitchen.”
Evelyn choked on her wine, laughing as she covered her face with one hand. “Remy!”
“What?” Remy said innocently. “It’s a dream worth aiming for.”
Evelyn laughed so hard her shoulders shook. And for the first time, she didn’t feel the need to apologize for joy. For humor. For wanting.
When the laughter faded, she looked out over the yard, her voice soft again.
“I just want to feel like I belong. Like I’m not broken.”
Remy’s smile turned serious, eyes kind. “You do belong. And you’re not broken. You’re just someone who had to survive things no one should have. But now?” She tapped her glass gently against Evelyn’s again. “Now you’re learning how to live.”
And Evelyn, for once, let herself believe it.
- Writer
