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“No!” She looked on the verge of panic again.
“If you think I’m leaving you alone, you’re fucking wrong.”
“I... I’m not alone.” She set her hand on the dog. “Rebel can stay with me. You said she’s a protection K9. She can keep me safe.”
“Veronica—”
“I don’t want you here.” Her voice came out high and thin as tears brimmed in her eyes.
Connelly’s heart sank, but he knew better than to push her. He stood up, his hands still in his pockets, and looked down at her. “Okay. I’ll leave, but I’ll be back tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that. I won’t leave you alone, Vee. Not until you let me in.”
Veronica didn’t say anything, but the tears spilled over, and it broke his heart. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, ignoring her flinch. Then he turned on his heel and left the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
He walked through the living room, and unease settled in the pit of his stomach. Something wasn’t right. He didn’t know what it was, but he knew that he couldn’t leave Veronica alone like this.
Fuck.
He grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch, wrapped it around his shoulders, and went out onto the pouch, making sure the door was firmly locked behind him. He sat down, back pressed to the door, and tugged the blanket tighter around his shoulders.
This was going to be a very uncomfortable night. He should’ve brought his laptop, but since he didn’t, he scanned the dark woods.
Nothing moved.
There were no weird noises.
Nothing was out of place.
And still...
If he’d learned one thing in the military, it was to trust his instincts. And his instincts screamed that someone was out there in those huge, ancient trees, watching.
He flipped them off.
chapter eight
Veronica touched her forehead, and swore she could still feel the warm, soft press of Connelly’s lips like a brand.
Why the hell had he done that?
She knew Connelly cared about her, but she couldn’t understand why he had to make things so complicated. She was damaged, broken beyond repair. She didn’t want him to waste his time on her. She was nothing but a burden, a reminder of his mistakes.
The tears kept flowing, and she hugged Rebel closer, burying her face in the dog’s fur. She had to get a grip. She couldn’t keep falling apart like this. She had to be strong. She had to show Connelly that she didn’t need him or anyone else. She was in control, damn it.
But the darkness kept creeping in, suffocating her, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She knew it was irrational, but she couldn’t help it. She’d always been afraid of the dark, even as a child. And now, after what had happened to her, the darkness felt like a living, breathing thing, waiting to swallow her whole.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to focus on something else. She tried to remember the dream that had triggered her panic attack, but it had already slipped away like smoke. All she could remember was the sensation of falling, over and over again, with no end in sight.
Rebel whimpered and licked her face, and Veronica realized that she was crying again. She wiped her eyes and took another deep breath. She had to calm down. She had to be strong.
She didn’t know how, but she must have fallen asleep, because the next time she opened her eyes, sunlight streamed in through her window.
Rebel licked her face and whimpered.
Her eyes popped open wide.
Oh, shit. She’d been so desperate to get rid of Connelly last night, she hadn’t thought this whole keeping the dog thing through.
Rebel needed to go outside.
