Breaking Him (Love is War #1)(80)

She touched a hand to my hair, purest love pouring out of her eyes. “Yes, yes, of course she does, Dante, my sweet, sweet boy. We will work on all of that.”

“They’re awful at school. They won’t let up on her. Maybe if you talk to her about . . . taking a bath or somethin’, it’d make it easier on her.”

“I will. I absolutely will, you darling boy. I’m ashamed that you even had to point it out, but you leave it to me, okay?”

I nodded. I had absolute faith that Gram would do anything she promised, so I was done worrying about that part of it.

“Thank you,” I told her. “But . . . what should I do? How do you think I can help her?”

“How about just being her friend? Friends can make life a lot better.”

I flushed and looked down, embarrassed to tell her that the girl I was so worried about would barely say two words to me. “I’ll try,” I muttered.

“And Dante?”

“Yes?”

“You’re strong. And brave. I have faith in you. I know you will find a way to help her. If you see she needs defending, defend her. Do what you think is right and you won’t have any regrets.”

A few weeks later, I pounded a guy that I heard making a joke about her, and I got my first smile out of her, a conspiratorial grin that let me know she had a newfound faith in me.

I loved that smile.

From that day forward it was my job to protect her. Her feelings. Her body.

Her freedom.