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She’d get there. He’d just be patient. If there was one thing Remy knew how to be, it was patient.
“I’m, uh . . . I’m sorry I hit you. And then kind of blamed you.”
“Kind of blamed me?” His lips quirked at her awkward apology.
She huffed out a breath, giving him an irritated look. But he caught her lips twitching. “Fine, fully blamed you.” She rubbed at her forehead. “I still don’t understand how I didn’t wake up as soon as you walked in. I’m a light sleeper. It’s always been annoying because I struggle to sleep and I slept through you coming back.”
There was a hint of fear in her face. As though she realized she’d been vulnerable and didn’t like it.
“I’m pretty quiet on my feet, baby. And you were exhausted. Remember, I’d never hurt you.”
“I guess I am tired. I didn’t intend to fall asleep.” She glanced over at where the cartoons were playing and red filled her cheeks. “Um, I, uh . . .”
“Don’t,” he told her.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t make up an excuse or lie about watching cartoons. Or feel embarrassed. Watch what you want to watch. Okay?”
“You don’t think it’s a bit childish?” she asked, biting her lip.
Another trigger from her past? Being thought of as childish? Damn, her father had a lot to answer for.
“Nope.”
It wasn’t the most verbose answer he could have given, but he thought it got his point across.
Isa’s lips twitched. “Best and final answer?”
“Yep.”
“Okay, then.” Her shoulders eased, the tension leaving her. “Um, how is your nose? Are you sure I can’t get you something for it? Do you want some painkillers?”
“It’s fine. Not broken. Heck of a punch you’ve got, though, Slugger.”
She bit her lip, but he could tell she was pleased at his words. “Loki taught me. So I could stand up to the bullies.”
Bullies? What fucking bullies?
“Where the hell was he?”
Her eyes widened at the snap in his tone. “Uh, well, he couldn’t be with me all the time.”
Why the hell not?
And yeah, he realized he was being ridiculous. But Remy didn’t like that she’d been bullied. And so badly that she’d had to learn how to punch properly?
“Loki took care of most of them, though. And after a while, everyone stopped messing with me because they knew Loki would get them back twice as hard. Once, this neighbor of mine, Teddy, threw Razzie up in a tree. Razzie is my rainbow bear. My mom gave him to me.”
“Fucking little dick.”
She snorted. “Oh yeah, Teddy was a real dick. He thought he was so much better than everyone else. He pushed me over, and suddenly, Loki was there. Loki pinned Teddy down until he cried and apologized. Then, after Teddy and his friends ran off, Loki got Razzie for me.”
“That’s when he taught you to punch?”
“Oh no, that came later. Teddy and his friends cornered me at lunchtime. They were calling me names and I punched Teddy in the nose. I broke my finger because I didn’t do it right. The teacher called my dad and I was grounded for a week.”
“What? What about Ted?”
