“You’ve been through a lot.”
She hated his understanding almost as muchas she hated her memories. “I’m not a project for you to fix. I cando that on my own. I have before.”
“But you don’t have to do it alone anymore.”David studied her eyes when her gaze finally came back to him. Hesaw wariness there, but he also saw a burgeoning anger he foundrefreshing. Anger was far better than the desolation on her faceseconds before.
“Are you going to do it with me?” shesnapped.
“Yes.”
His simple answer melted away some of herannoyance with him as she gazed up at him. “No one ever doessomething for nothing. Why would you want to help me?”
“Because everyone needs someone to care forthem. I’ve been fortunate in my life to have many who care for me.You deserve the same.”
“You don’t know that. What if I don’tdeserve it? You know nothing about me. For all you know I could bea vindictive bitch who has deserved everything that’s happened tome.”
“I don’t believe that. At the very least,you’re not a killer.”
She alternated between glaring at him andwanting to throw her arms around him. To have someone so stubbornlysure of her was something she hadn’t experienced since her parentspassed. She’d honestly believed she never would again. Toexperience it now, when she was about as fucked up as one couldget, seemed even crueler and more unfair to her than being shackledto a wall had been.
“Can’t you tell I’m broken?” she demanded.“I can’t stand anyone touching me!”
“You handled me touching you until I pushedyou too far.”
“Freaking out because someone you’reenjoying kissing tries to get closer to you isnotnormal.”
“It wasn’t normal that I was turned into avampire because a female vamp became obsessed with my best friend,”David replied. “When Liam didn’t follow after her, she decided toturn his friends in the hopes she would get him to fall in linewith her. That’s about as far from normal as it gets. I didn’t havea clue about the paranormal being real when my transformationoccurred. Vampires were for horror movies, not reality. Life’s notnormal. Shit happens. We all work through it.”
“Is that so, Dr. Phil?”
The frustrating man smiled at her.
“That’s so,” David replied.
Mia opened her mouth to respond, but closedit again when she heard voices coming down the hall. She turned tothe door as Abby and Vicky appeared, the twins smiling as theywaved at her and David. Each of them had their light blonde hairpulled into a ponytail and towels draped around theirshoulders.
Though they were identical, and Vicky hadregained the weight she’d lost when she’d been imprisoned, Miacould tell the difference between the sisters. Abby proudly worethe bite marks her mate, Brian, left on her. Vicky’s neck wasunblemished; the wounds she’d sustained while held prisoner hadvanished from her skin. If the sisters were wearing turtlenecks,Mia would have no idea which was which.
“Ready for some training, Mia?” Abby asked,her green eyes sparkling when they went from her to David. Hersmile widened as she gazed at him.
Mia could feel the love they all had for oneanother in the smiles they exchanged and the easy comfort withwhich they all interacted. It was a love she’d witnessed oftensince being here with them.
She couldn’t help but feel a little jealousof it. No one had looked at her like that, or cared for her in suchan open way, in years. Until she’d met them, she hadn’t realizedhow much she missed that kind of simple, easy love.
“David,” Abby greeted.
“Mary Kate, Ashley,” he replied with asmirk.
Vicky and Abby’s mouths parted before theyexchanged disbelieving looks. “Did Moe just call us the Olsentwins?” Vicky demanded.
“I think he did,” Abby replied. “And you seeDavid as Moe? That would mean he’d be the leader of theStooges.”
“You’re right, that’s definitely Mike.Larry, then?”
“I was thinking more along the lines ofCurly.”
“Really?” Vicky asked. “I always kind of sawDoug as Curly.”
Abby tapped her finger against her chin. “Ican see that.”
