Page 159 of Her Wicker Guardian

As the new willow settles into place, the gold disappears beneath the weave. That should make me feel better.

Instead, my hands start shaking again.

I curl them against my thighs, hoping he won’t notice.

He does. His hand stills over the willow.

“I’m fine.”

Locke’s expression softens, his eyes steady on mine.

“I’m still a little afraid,” I admit.

“Because Trent came?”

“Partly.” I sit on the floor. The bathroom tile is cool through my shorts. Locke stays where he is, giving me the space to find the words. He’s in a bathtub with half his chest unwoven, but even if he weren’t, he’s learned that sometimes I need a second before I can get words past whatever has closed around my throat.

“When he grabbed me, I was angry. When you stopped him, I was scared he was going to do something stupid.”

“He did.”

“Yes. He did.”

I rub my palms over my knees. “But that isn’t the part I keep thinking about.”

Locke waits.

“When he hit you…” The words stop. The sound comes back first, willow snapping under Trent’s fist. My stomach drops the same way it did in the square, and for one sick second I’m staring at the opening in Locke’s chest again, not knowing how badly he’s hurt.

I look at the broken strand resting on the edge of the tub. “I saw your chest break.”

“I’m here.”

“I can see that.”

“I’m repairing it.”

“I can see that too.”

My eyes burn. “That’s what scared the hell out of me.”

This time he doesn’t tell me he’s fine. This time, he lets the fear sit between us without trying to make it smaller.

“I thought he’d hurt you badly. I didn’t know what that punch had done. Then I saw the ring and everybody was talking and Trent was still there, and all I wanted was to get you somewhere safe enough that I could figure out whether you were really okay.”

Locke looks down at the fresh willow in his hands. “I was watching you.”

I swallow.

His thumb moves slowly along the wet green strand. “When he said your name the first time, your body changed. You were afraid, and you kept talking.”

I don’t say anything.

“I kept waiting for you to want me to step in.”

I look back at him. “It sure looked like you were ready.”

“Yes.”