Better (Stark Ink Book 2) by Dahlia West Read Free Book Online Page A

she’d wanted with Dalton, that she’d latched on to the first person who’d even come close to fitting the bill and tried to carve out that life with him, instead.
    While Dalton was being supported by people telling him to quell his destructive urges, Zoey had not had anyone to do the same for her. But where were her parents in all this? What had they done to stop this train wreck of a marriage before it had materialized? Before it had gotten this far, before it was too late to do anything when the absolute most amount of devastation possible would occur when it derailed? As she sobbed against him, he understood that she was in no shape to answer the million questions he had.
    “Everything’s going to be fine,” he told her, even though he honestly didn’t see how. He had not intended to ruin her life, only send her on her way to a better one. It seemed he was a poison that no one could get out of their system, even after he himself had been cured.
    “Alright,” he said, “let’s go to the spare room. You need to get off your feet and lie down.”
    He guided her gently to the extra bedroom, thankful that he had fresh sheets on it. He sat her down gently and put her sack of makeup on the nightstand.
    “I’ll make you that tea,” he said. It really was the absolute least he could do.
    She nodded and he closed the door behind him, feeling guilty about leaving her but not knowing what else to do. In the kitchen he found her boxes of tea and checked the labels for the one that made you sleepy. Surely that would be okay for the baby. He’d be sure to ask if it was as he set a small saucepan on the stove and heated some water.
    He heard the car pull up and made it to the door before Ava and Sienna had a chance to ring the bell. He swung the door inward, hoping to just grab the keys and send them on their way, but Ava marched in and looked around. Sienna followed her inside, giving Dalton a sheepish look. Dalton wasn’t put off or even surprised. Ava was Ava.
    “She’s resting,” he said pointedly.
    Ava glanced down the hallway, toward the closed bedroom door and shook her head. “I can’t believe he hit her.”
    Dalton grunted. For Ava, that was putting it mildly. “Well, she’s safe now and she has space to think things over.”
    “She going to the cops?”
    “Maybe in the morning,” he hedged, making his way back to the kitchen. He still needed time to try and convince Zoey it was necessary. He doubted he could file a complaint for her. He didn’t mention the baby, though. Perhaps he needed some time to get used to the idea himself. Or perhaps he was making things easier on himself, because Ava was a loose cannon on her best day and Dalton didn’t need two women going off the deep end on him. Probably a little of both, he decided as he wiped the sides of the cup.
    “Thanks for taking care of the car,” he told Ava as he guided her back toward the front door. Sienna followed without a fuss.
    “Look, go home tonight,” he said finally. “I… I’ve got enough to worry about here for one night, okay?”
    Ava looked like she was about to argue, but instead she nodded glumly.
    “I appreciate it,” he said to smooth over the ruffled feathers.
    “Yeah, okay.”
    Ava and Sienna left and Dalton picked up Zoey’s mug. He carried it carefully down the hall and knocked lightly on the door before letting himself in. He supposed the awkwardness of the situation kept him from getting too comfortable, even in his own place.
    She smiled at him weakly as he stepped inside.
    “Here you go.” He set the steaming cup down on the nightstand.
    “Dalton-” she said, voice hoarse from too much crying.
    He shook his head. “Not tonight. Nothing needs to happen tonight, including talking.” He wouldn’t lie to himself and say he didn’t feel a bit of a reprieve there. His own apologies could wait another day. “Just get some sleep.”
    He quickly shut the door behind him and walked back to the kitchen. He stood