Healing His Soul's Mate by Dominique Eastwick Read Free Book Online Page A

last month.” Her mother’s disgust made Ashlynn feel three years old again.
    “My modeling career is over. It doesn’t matter how many plastic surgeons I see. My face will forever be damaged goods.” She pointed to the long scar under her ear. “Nothing is going to change.”
    “Being here on this island, with her”—their mother turned her gaze on Dana for the first time—“and all of these hippies will not help you. She is the size of a small bear.”
    Everything happened so quickly, Ashlynn couldn’t process it all. One second Rekkus was staring down his mother-in-law, the next he was on the other side of the table, his face only inches from hers. Ashlynn could have sworn he jumped over the table, and where had the growl come from?
    But beyond the chaos, a sudden cold chill ran through her, as if someone had opened a door to the arctic. She could see her breath. She couldn’t see Rekkus’ face, but the fear covering her mother’s made an impression. She had never seen her mother cower. She had never seen anger like she did in her brother-in-law.
    Sage and Cemil appeared from out of nowhere, and Cyrus ran from the other side of the room. As if sensing it wouldn’t do any good, no one touched or grabbed Rekkus.
    Sage’s soft voice broke through the tension. “Perhaps Mrs. Stone would like to return to her room for the evening.”
    “I would not.”
    “I could drop you into a cavernous hole if you would prefer,” Rekkus said.
    Sage moved a little closer to him, her calm extending over the table. “Let me restate the rules of the Haus. If you cannot be polite to others, we cannot have you in the dining room or in classes with other people. This is a place of healing. I will not have you disrupt the healing of others out of pettiness on your account.”
    Their mother’s eyes blazed. “He attacked me, and I am being reprimanded?”
    Cemil placed a hand on her elbow and guided her to her feet. “Had he attacked you, there would be very little any of us could do to stop it and even less of you left to identify.”
    “They’re right, Nancy. You are disruptive and acting like a spoiled child.” Dr. Stone’s gaze landed on Myron, who joined the others around the table. “Is your offer for a separate room still available?”
    Myron dangled a key before him. How had she known of the request before he made it? “The room is ready.”
    “Rekkus,” Tall, Dark, and Awesome said in a low tone. “Her soul is dark. Do not let hers affect yours.”
    Rekkus gave a jerk of his chin which passed as a nod. “Stay out of my sight,” he tossed over his shoulder as he stormed out of the dining hall.
    “That man is an animal!” Nancy announced.
    Dana got to her feet and, for the first time in Ashlynn’s experience, stood up for herself. “You have no idea, Mother, and I pray you never do. This is my home, and I will not have you making our lives hell. Just because you’re miserable does not give you the right to make everyone else unhappy, too. If you think for one second I give a damn what you think of me anymore, you can think again. The time of you being able to bully me around, belittle me, or make me feel less of a person is over.”
    “You will not talk to me in that tone of voice, young lady.”
    “Oh, shut up. You might think you hold clout in New York City, but here you are a guest like everyone else. But, unlike everyone else, no one wants to be with you. So here are your choices. You can continue to be ill-mannered and insulting to everyone, in which case I will give my husband full permission to lock you in the kennel like the bitch you are, or you can show some breeding and class and start to act like a human being for once.”
    The room became icy and quiet, everyone’s attention locked to her sister, and Ashlynn couldn’t have been prouder. Perhaps the hormones raging through her system or a backbone she grew while here on the island accounted for her candor, but it had been too long in