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I held my breath and waited for my full name to be called. But none came.

Instead someone ran inside and stopped abruptly in the middle of the garden, right where I was twirling hours ago.

I looked up and sighed in relief. Asher stood there, with a scared and worried look on his face, panting heavily, like he had ran miles.

I looked back down and picked at my toenails.

He sighed after a second and walked over, making me tense up. He ignored my change in composure and proceeded to take a seat beside me.

He took his phone out of his pocket. Whoever he called, picked up on the first ring.

"She's in the garden. We'll be in soon," he said, before hanging up.

Reaching over to my other side, he picked up a blanket and unfolded it. I kept watching his every move in my periphery.

He draped the blanket over my knees, then shifted back to sit beside me properly and draped it over his knees.

"Give me your hand," he said, softly, looking at me with a smile.

I stopped picking at my nails and turned my gaze to him, looking at him questioningly.

Why does he think I would do that?

"Put a little trust in me and do it," he said, putting his hand forward.

I don't know what came over me but I pulled my hand away from my feet and put it in his big one. Like really big. He engulfed my hand in his and clicked his tongue.

"You're cold," he stated. After squeezing my hand and keeping it engulfed in his until it was a little warm, he grabbed the same wrist with his other hand.

Entwining our fingers, he looked at me with a genuine brightness in his eyes.

"This means, that we're together on every path, every choice and every turn life takes," he said. I stared at our hands then looked up into his eyes.

"Do you know why I think holding hands like this is better?" He asked.

'Because when I hold your hand like this, it's harder for you to escape King Elijah and his tickle punishment.'

"Because it's harder to let go," Asher spoke. "It's harder to pull your hand out of the other person's hand. That means, I'm not letting you go so easily. I'm here for you and we will share our problems."

I frowned at our hands.

'And when I kiss your hand, I am telling you that you're a princess. My little princess and no problem will get close enough to you to bother you.'

"Why the tears?" Asher asked. I lifted my gaze to look at him and blinked, indeed feeling the moisture in my eyes.

I shook my head. He moved our hands under the blanket and sighed while leaning back against the wall.

We sat silent for a long time. The sun was almost out. With his other hand, Asher reached out and flipped a switch.

The fairy lights turned on, making the tent look warm and pretty with the warm golden light engulfing us in its comfort.

I returned my gaze to that one thread on the blanket.

"Sometimes, when we think we're better off alone." He started saying, his voice coming out as gentle yet deep in the comforting silence. "We actually need someone."

I shook my head in response.

"You don't agree?" He asked, sitting up straighter. I shrugged.

I really don't want someone to bother with my problems. I've been dealing with them before, I'll deal with them now.

"How can you say that when you haven't even tried that theory?" He said, stopping the movements of his thumb against the back of my hand. I shrugged again.

"Dad Elijah Verlice!" I snapped, slamming the door shut. "And Mom Lily Verlice!"

"It's King Elijah Verlice but Dad is fine too," Dad said, showing the sass, apparently Rose and I taught him.

"If you two think you're going to deal with your problems alone, you're highly mistaken." I narrowed my eyes at my two criminals cuddling on the couch.

"Aww. My little heart wants to help me." Dad pouted opening his arms for me. I matched his pout and walked into his arms, standing before him.

"Princess Amira Levi Verlice, I promise you with my life that I will tell you all of my problems. You can't tell me yours though, because I won't let you have any problems," he said, before pulling a giggling me in for a big hug and lots of kisses.

"But on a serious note," Mom said, after she was done snuggling Rose, who had entered behind me. "If you have any problems, tell us."

"Yep. First step, let it out to someone who you know will stand by you and help you through it," Dad said, before proceeding to place a disgusting sloppy kiss on my cheek.

"He hit me with his belt." I muttered, my hand cupping my cheek, still feeling the love Dad left there. I ran my thumb over my nose where he placed kisses whenever I was accused of being too cute. And he would pretend to eat my nose. Disgusting.

I stared at where my feet were under the blanket, feeling Asher's sad yet angry gaze on me.

"Sometimes he hit too hard, it broke skin. Sometimes he used the buckle end, so it bled," I mumbled, cringing when my back tingled, reminding me of exactly where what scar was. "That's why there are scars."

"But sometimes he will be extra bad and use the knife. He tried not to cut too deep mostly, but sometimes he did it just to see if it scarred or not."

I went silent after that, not looking at him once.

"Why did he run away?" He asked, making me tense up.

"He was drunk and tried to assault Rose. She panicked and ran out of the house. I tried to find them and when I did, Rose was unconscious. He ran away when I tried to fight for her." My voice shook as the scene repeated in my mind.

"He was so close to her," I whispered. "I was so scared."

"That is causing all the things happening now?" He asked, quietly. I shrugged. I don't know if that's the reason stuff keeps happening with my mind.

"What happened today?" He asked. I stopped staring at the blanket and lifted my gaze to stare at the garden.

"I told Jayden to fuck off and he got angry," I said, shrugging my shoulders while saying that.

"And you've done things like that many times?" His tone was confused with a small hint of amusement. "Why hide? Because he told Lucian?"

"No," I said. "I didn't hide. I just needed some time alone."

"And did you get enough alone time before I barged in?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know exactly how much I needed."

"That's okay," He said. I lowered my gaze back to the blanket. "But what else you need is a hug."

Finally turning my head to look at him, I saw he was staring straight ahead. His face was shining in the lights and his eyes were bright with a mix of emotions in them.

I'm not weak.

I shook my head, which he saw from the corner of his eye. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"No? Don't want a hug?" I shook my head again. "Cuddles?" He offered again.

"No," I said.

"And what if I ask you to trust me just a tad bit more and believe that it helps?" He asked, raising both eyebrows with a soft smile on his face. The look in his eyes seemed genuine, still I shook my head.

"Let go a little bit. Have I ever hurt you before?" He asked, pulling his knees away from his chest so his legs were laying straight.

I shook my head and watched him shake his feet a little from side to side.

"So? Cuddles?" He opened his arms and threw a sweet smile my way. I hesitated, staring at the smile on his face.

"Come on." He crooked his fingers, smiling encouragingly.

I looked away and closed my eyes for a little bit, taking a deep breath.

I shifted to my side, towards him a little bit, slowly.

I sat beside him and leaned against him a little, waiting for him to wrap his arm around me. That's how cuddles work, right?

Lowering his arms, he let out a small chuckle. Before I could look at him and ask about it, his arms vanished from my vision.

I flinched and almost let out a little squeak when he picked me up from under my armpits and placed me on his lap, my head safely tucked under his chin.

His arms wrapped around me, squeezing me enough so it didn't hurt.

"It's not the walls built around your heart that shield you from problems, it's the arms wrapped around you," He muttered, leaning down to place a kiss on my temple. I flinched and bunched his shirt in my fist instinctively, but all he did in response was stroke my hair.

I took a deep breath to calm my panicked, racing heartbeat.

"And when I cuddle you close like a little baby and kiss your temple..." He began, taking my mind back to Dad.

How can he be so similar to him yet so different?

"It means I want all your worries to fade away. I want your mind to stop worrying so much about problems. I want you to let me do everything for you, which includes fighting your monsters," He said, proceeding to kiss the other temple.

My fist that had his shirt bunched in it uncurled slowly and raised up to rest on his chest, feeling the heart thumping inside.

"Does this mean something special?" He asked, tapping my hand with his index finger.

"Why do you think that?" I asked, quietly.

"Every gesture has a special meaning," He said. "So? Is there a special meaning to this?"

Despite wanting to shake my head, I nodded.

"Dad told me, it's more comforting when you feel the heartbeat like this."

"Is it?" He asked, shifting his face a little to look down at me. I looked up and nodded.

"Yes," I whispered, lowering myself a little, so my head lowered to rest beside my hand. His heart was beating in a comforting rhythm. I closed my eyes and sighed.

We were silent for a long time and I was drifting in and out of dreamland. It was like a TV was playing the memories and I was trying hard not to sleep.

I jerked up when I stopped hearing the heartbeat.

"Ssh. Calm down, Bunny. We're just going inside," Asher said, quietly. I lifted my head and tried to make him put me down.

He was tall. What if he dropped me?

"Relax, honey." Asher placed a kiss on my head then pushed it back down to rest on his shoulder. I looked back at the corner garden, to see we were about halfway through the backyard.

I jumped when a loud bang shook the mansion.

"So you're telling me you let her out there sitting in the cold for hours and never went to check on her?"

I flinched when Lucian yelled that.

"Lucian's home," Asher said.

Duh. I don't know what is with Lucian and punching the table when he's mad.

"You said to leave her alone," Jayden muttered.

"I also told you that we'll be back in the evening, so one of you will have to check on her some time later," Lucian gritted. "Defying direct orders, Jayden?"

Asher's hand was still on the back of my head, keeping my face buried into his neck.

He slid the door open and we were immediately engulfed by the warmth of the house.

The yelling had stopped as soon as we entered the house. Maybe Lucian heard Asher's footsteps.

I tried pushing Asher away and get out of his arms. This is embarrassing.

"They're family," Asher said, quietly. He looked down at the scowl on my face and chuckled. "There's no need to be embarrassed."

He pushed the big kitchen door open. I buried my head in his neck, hoping that if I didn't see them, they will not see me too.

"Is she sleeping?" Lucian asked. His voice had quietened, a big contrast to the yelling we could hear in the backyard.

"No. She's being embarrassed." Asher chuckled.

"Look up, Bunny," Lucian said, speaking normally now.

I lifted my head and looked at him, avoiding eye contact with anyone else.

"Why don't you go wait in Asher's room? He will come check your back in a minute," He said, which wasn't exactly a request.

Asher finally put me down and I stormed out of there, as fast as I could.

"Not you, Rose." I heard him add, ceasing the small footsteps behind me.

I left the door slightly open and leaned against the wall beside it.

"Tell me why you stopped Josiah and Rose to check on her?" He demanded.

I didn't need someone to check on me.

"Because she was being a brat. That's why I asked them to leave her alone. You didn't deal with her either," Jayden gritted.

"If I remember correctly, I told you I had twenty minutes to deal with whatever problem you had at the park. If it really was that urgent, otherwise I will deal with it when Asher and I get home in the evening. Did I not say that?" Lucian asked, in a low tone.

"Yes," Jayden muttered.

"I get why Rose didn't go but why you Josiah? I expected better from you," Lucian said, sounding really disappointed.

"I'm sorry," Josiah said, quietly.

"You could've told us over the phone that she was still sitting out there. We thought you will act more mature and check on her, get her to come back inside," Asher spoke this time.

"She's not okay, Jayden. I don't know how long it will take for you to understand that. You can't leave her alone for hours, when she's having hallucinations and I don't know what thoughts," Lucian gritted.

"Why are you sitting here?"

I jumped when Damien appeared out of nowhere.

"Nothing." I stood up. He looked at me suspiciously, before looking into the kitchen. He walked into the kitchen and I took that chance to run away.

"Why is Bunny sitting outside?" Damien asked, as soon as he entered.

Fuck.

I tried to rush but just before I turned the corner, someone clicked their tongue and stopped me.

"Do you mind answering Dex's question, Bunny?" Lucian said. I tensed up and kept my back to him.

"Yes," I said, gathering up my courage and turning around. Lucian was standing in the doorway, with his arms crossed.

I looked down at my feet and resisted the urge to run away when I heard him approaching.

"If I ask you to do something, I expect it to be done," He stated, bending down to my level. I stepped back and tried to keep my face as emotionless as it has ever been.

I don't want to embarrass myself more by looking scared now.

"You disobeyed me directly and I'm obviously not happy. We will discuss it after dinner in my office," He declared, standing back up. Putting his hands in his pockets, he looked at me for a moment.

"Now go to Asher's room. I don't want to find you anywhere else. Got it?" He asked. I nodded and was about to turn around and run when he stopped me by clearing his throat.

I looked up at him and muttered a yes, before rushing away from him.

'What if they are hurting Rose? He's already blaming her for how you behave.'

I stopped at the first step of the stairs.

Asher is there and Lucian was quite angry just for 'not checking'.

I gulped down the sudden lump in my throat and ignored the worry and fear.

She is safe. As long as I'm the bad guy, she's safe.