Page 28 of Finding English

“You know, I could whip some up real quick.”

“Oh, that would be amazing if it’s no trouble.”

Josie patted Aubrey’s hand. “No trouble at all.” With that, his mother rushed away.

Aubrey slid into her seat and shoved her hand to Cassie. “Aubrey Herbert, nice to meet the woman who landed this big softie.”

Henry raised an eyebrow. “Softie? Are you kidding me, Aubrey? I’m trying to get this woman to fall in love with my masculine dominance and you’re wrecking it.”

Cassie laughed as he’d known she would and rubbed his cheek. “I find big, dominant alphas with soft hearts of goo sexy.”

Aubrey smirked at him. “See, I’m helping.”

“I’m still your boss, you know.”

“Not for long is my bet,” Aubrey said low so only he could hear.

“I was promised an adorable kid to get all broody over,” Aubrey stated, and Henry knew she’d been asked to keep Cassie company.

“She’s upstairs with Jerry. He’s building her a new bed in her own room.”

Henry smiled at that; he really was so lucky.

He watched the others leaving the room behind him and knew he needed to catch up with them and get more details about the dead woman.

Taking Mack’s seat as she left with Dax, Aubrey followed the direction his mother had gone, giving them a minute.

He cupped her cheek and Cassie rewarding him with her trust as she leaned into him. “How you holding up?”

“Okay, I guess. A little detached from it at the moment. Everyone here is trying to buffer me from it, but I know the nightmares will come again later.”

Henry furrowed his brow. “You have nightmares?”

“I haven’t for a long time, but they started up again the night he came back.”

Henry brushed her cheek with his thumb. “Why didn’t you tell me, Cass?”

Cassie shrugged but looked away from his eyes. “Nothing you can do about them.”

He lifted her face back to his. “Maybe not, but I can hold you or whatever.”

Henry stood, letting go of her hand as frustration hit him. He spun and walked to the window where he saw the others on the front porch talking. He needed to be out there helping where he could make a difference. He was useless to her in here but out there he could help in some way.

A hand on his arm stopped the jagged movements of his hand in his hair. Turning, he saw Cassie looking at him with an apology in her brown eyes.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.” She slid her arms around his waist, laying her head against his heart. His arms came around her shielding her from the outside world. “I’m not used to asking for help. I’ve got better since meeting Mack and Milena and the guys, but it’s not my natural state. I’ve always relied on myself for everything, ever since…” She stopped, and he kissed her hair, inhaling her shampoo that always had him wanting her.

“No, I’m the one who should be sorry. I sulked like a brat, and you’re amazing. I hate that you’re going through this and I’m helpless to help.”

She lifted her head a look of confusion painted there. “But you are. You’ve given me and Michaela safety, a place to live. That means more than you’ll ever know. Thanks to you and your family, I can hopefully protect my child from the evil of this world for a bit longer.”

“Not hope, beautiful, we’ll protect both of you from him.”

He kissed her lightly and would happily have taken it further as she melted against him, her soft moan firing his blood, but a light cough interrupted them. He looked up to see a smirking Aubrey.

“Sorry to interrupt but Will thinks he may have something.”

Henry gave her a slight chin lift, and Aubrey left the way she’d come.