Brady & Autumn Dove

"I never say no to an excuse to have your hands on me," I said with a smirk and went over to her.

I laughed and rolled my eyes playfully at him "Lose the bloody shirt, baby." I told him and watched as he took it off "I'm sorry for what I said earlier...it was a low blow. I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't. I'm sorry we argued. Believe it or not, I hate when we argue."

"I know you do...and I know I haven't been...ya know." I said as I started to gently clean him off. I hadn't talked about my "captivity" much, especially not the details but I suspected he knew. "I had sex with Nicholai." I finally blurted, feeling totally ashamed of myself.

I closed my eyes as rage and sadness filled me. Rage making me want to bring him back from the dead just to kill him again, sadness at the look on her face. I opened my eyes and slowly pulled her to me. "What happened?" I asked quietly.

I curled up into his chest, it felt so good to be in his arms. "He was taking a lot of anger out on Adalee... I was afraid he was going to kill her if I didn't act fast but I couldn't do much...he was cautious." I shudderedv a little "I gave in...I gave him what he wanted as a distraction. I'm so sorry."

I didn't say anything for a minute then tightened my arms around her. "Don't apologize baby. It wasn't your fault. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. What's important is that you and Adalee are alive and safe. And we're away from there," I said and kissed the top of her head. Fuck I wanted to kill the bastard over and over and over again for what he'd put them through.

"But you were the only person I'd ever been with, I wanted to keep it that way." I whispered "I've just felt...undeserving ever since. I've been distant from you...I'm just...so sorry."

"You are far from undeserving baby, don't ever think that. If anything I'm the one that doesn't deserve you. It wasn't your fault what happened, none of it was," I said, wishing I knew what else to say.

"Sometimes I wish I would have just went with him to begin with. We had to send our daughter into hiding, he punished us by throwing Chad into the games. What kind of mother lets things like that happen to her kids?"

I took her face in my hands so she was looking at me. "Baby you didn't let any of that happen. It was out of our control. If we start thinking that way, I never should've pursued you to begin with, should've left you alone, should've left when Nicholai threatened me the first time. He was an evil man that hurt a lot of people for his own selfish reasons. You can't blame yourself for anything that he did. None of it was your fault and it'll just keep eating you alive if you don't let it go. He can't hurt anyone anymore. And that party of our lives is in the past."

"I don't know what I would have done without you. If you wouldn't have fought for me I could have spent my life with that vile creature."

"Exactly. We fought to be together because that's what we had to do. That's what he made us do. We've all been through way too much shit. That doesn't mean we should regret the paths we took."

Brady

"I love you Brady. I'll always love you."

"And I'll always love you baby. Nothing could ever change that."

Brady

I was still cradled in his arms, I rose up and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

I held her tighter to me and deepened the kiss just a little. "I love you baby. Let's go check on Winter then go home okay."

"Lane was taking her back to our house. Atleast I think so anyway."

I could literally feel my expression darken. "He better have."

"Brady." I said, giving him a look "She isn't a child anymore."

"She's my baby girl and she always will be."

"I know, and mine too. He did seem like a nice boy, Brady. Where she met him, I have no idea."

"I don't know, but I'd like to find out."

"So would I. We should probably talk to her about going out alone, especially now."

"Yeah really. And talk to her little friend too."

Brady