Horrified.
He smiles a little, like those memories are sweet instead of terrifying now.
“I waited for you to see it,” he says. “I waited because I knew you’d realize eventually. We were already a family, Mia. You just couldn’t see it yet.”
“No.”
His smile fades.
“No?” he repeats.
“You were my friend.”
The word changes his face.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Rory, listen to me.” I try to keep my voice steady, but my fingers are starting to ache badly now. Sharp, biting pain crawling from the tips down into my hands. “You were my friend. My employee. Someone I trusted. But I never loved you like that.”
His eyes go flat.
“You’re confused.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re scared.”
“Yes,” I say. “I am scared. Because you kidnapped me and my daughter, tied me up in a basement, shot a man I care about, and confessed to burning down my sanctuary.”
He flinches like my words offend him.
“You’re already rebuilding it,” he says like it matters. “It’s gonna be so much better. We can run it together as a family. Burning the old one down was a good thing. You’re making everything sound ugly.”
“It is ugly.”
“No.” He steps closer. “What’s ugly is him. Maverick. TheDonwith blood on his hands. You think he loves you? You think men like that love women like you?”
“He does love me.”
Rory laughs bitterly.
“No. He wants to own you.”
“Then you don’t know him.”
“I know exactly what he is.”
“No, you know what you need him to be so you don’t have to face what you are.”
His face twists.
Livy whispers, “Mama.”
I should stop.
