Chapter 140

Mason’s POV

She’s quiet now, probably sorting through everything we just told her. There’s no way to rush that kind of processing, not when it involves someone like Theo. We eat in silence, letting her move through her thoughts at her own pace. Theo isn’t a bad guy. He’s damaged, sure, but he’d never intentionally hurt someone he loves. Not in any cruel or hateful way. He just... short-circuits sometimes.

After a few moments, she looks up and meets our eyes. “I take it his childhood wasn’t good?”

Calling Theo’s childhood “not good” would be like calling a wildfire a candle. It’s an understatement, and even that feels generous.

“He can tell you about it himself, baby girl,” Nathan answers gently. “It’s not something we want to explain for him.”

She nods slowly, accepting that. But the