As much as he’d steeled himself for this, he couldn’t help the small wordless sound of denial that escaped his lips. To know that she’d been sold, like a horse or cow, that her own father had cared more about drinking than his daughter’s life...
Casting a furtive glance in his direction, she moved as far across the room as she could, until the distance between them seemed almost unsurmountable. He knew he had to wait for her to finish, but he wanted to pull her into his arms so badly.
“The very first night, they sold me... my virginity... to a man who hurt me... Hurt something inside me. There was so much blood... I wanted to die. That’s why I can’t have children.” She brushed away the tears that were suddenly streaming down her cheeks. “But I was glad for it, because it was months before they could make me do it again. I was there for a little over six months before Adrian found me. I was his first rescue as Prometheus.” She laughed brokenly. “I don’t think he thought it through. I don’t think he had the slightest idea what to do with me in the beginning. But eventually, he decided to open Brookhaven, and I talked him into letting me stay to help.”
She finally turned to face him. “So, there you have it. The woman you’ve trusted with your children, the one you wanted to court... I’m not like Vanessa and Serenity. If people found out...”
He couldn’t stand to hear any more. He crossed the room in a handful of long strides and pulled her into his arms, hugging her fiercely. “It’s not your fault. None of it was your fault, and I still want you. This doesn’t change a thing.” His heart and soul howled for the pain she’d been through, and he wanted nothing more than to track down her father and every single bastard who’d used her and hurt her and kill them.
Perhaps he truly was a murderer.
She stiffened in his arms for a moment, then collapsed against him, her slim body shaking with sobs. “You don’t understand,” she whispered, her words muffled by his shirt and her sobs. “The things they made me do... I’m ruined, broken.”
He shook his head fiercely. Pressing his face against her hair, he prayed for the strength and wisdom to say and do the right things in the next few moments. Their entire future rested upon it. “You’re not. You’re perfect.”
They stared at each other for several long moments, and at last, some of her despair seemed to fade. “You are a far better man than I deserve,” she finally said softly.
“No,” he said, his own secrets clawing at his throat. “Don’t say that, my darling. We all have things in our past we’re ashamed of. I’m no different.”
She gave a brittle laugh and shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re not running away from me in horror.”
He held out his hand. “I’m not running away. I’ll be here forever, if you’ll only let me.”
* * *
FIONA STARED AT MORGAN’Shand, her emotions still roiling within her. She’d been so terrified of Morgan learning the ugly truth about her, but against all odds, this beautiful man was still standing here, wanting to pursue a marriage with her. She had no idea what other barriers might lay ahead, but for tonight, she wanted to believe that they could make it work.
With a sigh, she took his hand, then stepped forward and laid her head against his chest.
He wrapped his other arm around her, still holding her hand tightly.
All the fear and pain of the past seeped out of her, and she allowed herself to relax against him. She let his warmth and strength flow through her. To her great surprise, leaning on him didn’t make her feel weak. It made her feel stronger than she’d ever felt.
She didn’t understand why what she’d just revealed hadn’t sent him running, but she was so very grateful that it hadn’t. Love for him swelled within her, but she was not quite ready to say the words.
He stroked her hair gently, his tenderness bringing tears to her eyes.
“Your secret wasn’t the only one that was revealed tonight,” he finally said, his voice cracking a bit. “You learned something pretty terrible about me as well.”
She swallowed and lifted her eyes to look at him. “How can you possibly think I’d judge you for that? After what... after what I did tonight.”
She couldn’t let herself think about her knife plunging into Winters’ chest. Not yet. Not tonight. She knew she had to deal with what she’d done, that she’d taken a life, but she couldn’t bear to do that now. Not until she was much stronger than she felt at the moment. The fear that she could go to prison, that all the progress they’d made tonight with their talk would be pointless, still crippled her, but she was afraid to give voice to it.
“No,” he said with a shake of his head, drawing her back toward the sofa but keeping her close by his side as he poured them both yet another glass of whisky. “I’ve never talked about this with anyone, even my brothers, and I think it’s time I did. I need you to know what happened.”
She took the glass but only sipped it this time, glad of the burn that worked its way through her body. “I’m ready to listen,” she said, repeating his earlier words, realizing now how freeing it was to actually have been able to tell him her darkest secret. She wanted to be able to give him the same sort of release.
He took a pensive sip of his own drink then set it down and turned to face her. “My father died when I was young. There was a fire at our country estate. I’m sure you know that he got me out first, then went back in for Adrian. He got him out, but my brother was badly burned in the process.”
She nodded. “Yes, I know.”
He sighed. “I think that was when it started, when the... guilt... began.”
“What were you feeling guilty about?” she asked softly, not quite understanding what he was trying to say.
“I felt guilty that Adrian had been burned instead of me. Why did he pick me up first? My life would have been so different if he hadn’t. Every time I looked at Adrian, it was a reminder of what could have happened to me.”
“You had no control over that,” she whispered. “I’m sure he didn’t put any thought into it. He probably just grabbed whichever one of you was closest.”
