Page 59 of Dreamscape Therapies

Punished.

Like I'd done something bad enough to deserve everything that's happening to me.

Something flickers at the edge of my memory, but I push it away before I can catch it.

"Who are you thinking of?"

"Huh?"

"You just shook off a thought. Who were you thinking about?"

His eyes pin me in place.

He may be small, but I've learned pretty quickly that Jay would do just about anything to protect the people he cares about. It's both terrifying and, unfortunately, incredibly hot.

"There's no way he would do this," I croak, voice hoarse. Even as the words leave my mouth, I know they're bullshit.

"Who?"

"My ex." The words leave a bitter taste behind.

Jay's expression shutters almost immediately, giving nothing away. "Your ex?"

I nod, my stomach twisting. "He was…" I trail off.

Memories I'd spent months trying to bury come rushing back anyway. The arguments. The accusations. The way every disagreement somehow became my fault. The way he always seemed to know exactly what to say to make me question my own memory, my own judgment, even myself.

"He wasn't a good person."

Jay doesn't interrupt. He just watches me, his face carefully neutral, therapist mode fully activated.

"He hated when I made decisions without him. He hated when I spent time with other people. He hated that I owned a bar." I swallow hard. "But he's gone. We haven't been together in almost a year."

"Have you had any contact with him?"

"No."

"Has he ever threatened you?"

I hesitate.

It's barely a second, but Jay catches it.

"Vincent." His voice is gentle, but there's a warning underneath it. "Did your ex ever threaten you?"

"Not directly." I look down at the rug because meeting his eyes suddenly feels impossible. "He'd say things like I'd regret leaving. That everyone would believe him if he told them I was abusing him because I was a big alpha and he was a small omega." A bitter laugh escapes me. "Turns out he was right about that part."

"Did he ever actually accuse you of anything? Report anything to the police?" Jay is trying to keep his voice professional, but I can hear the anger underneath it.

"He told his friends I was abusive."

Silence settles over the room, heavy with all the things I thought I'd finally left behind.

"I wasn't," I say quickly. "Abusive, I mean. Just to be clear."

"I know,” Jay says without hesitation. "I know how you talk about the people you care about. I know how you worry about the strangers who come into your bar. I know how you reacted when you thought Eric, Hale, and Aksel were being hurt in your dream. That doesn't sound like someone who would be abusive."

My throat tightens.