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She fought her way through layers of disturbingly dark images to find Damion beside her, a grim look on his face.
‘I …’ She swallowed to ease her dry throat. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Are you in pain?’
‘No, I’m not.’ The only thing causing her distress was the panic clawing through her, despite being fully awake.
His concern-etched frown didn’t lessen. ‘You were limping as you left the gallery.’
‘Gee, and there I thought I had my swagger down to an art form.’
His jaw tightened. ‘Why did you leave without me?’
‘Because you’re not my keeper. Go back to bed. I promise you there’s no pain. I did my exercises before bed. I’m as nimble as an acrobat.’ She swung her legs off the sofa, twisting away from the tangled sheets that bore testament to her tortured dreams.
He went to the drinks cabinet, poured a glass of water and handed it her. She took it from him, because to refuse felt rude.
‘Do you have nightmares often?’
‘I didn’t have a nightmare.’
‘Your screams say otherwise.’
She shrugged and lowered her head, unwilling for him to see the heat slowly crawling up her neck into her face. ‘It’s no big deal.’
‘Why are you sleeping on the sofa?’
‘It’s more comfortable.’
He glanced pointedly at the sheets and pillow. ‘Or you were hoping that I wouldn’t hear when you screamed?’
Sitting down, he faced her, bringing his thigh to rest on the seat. With every fibre of her being, Reiko willed herself not to glance down at the hard muscle rippling beneath the cotton trousers.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Yes, you do. You need help, Reiko.’
She tensed, anxiety and pain coursing through her in equal measures. ‘Leave it, Damion. I don’t want to talk about it.’
‘Keeping it bottled up isn’t healthy. Tell me why you think you’re responsible for your father’s death. I take it he was in the accident with you?’
‘Why do I feel like I’ve visited this particular playground before?’
‘We agreed to talk after the exhibition. You left before that could happen.’
‘That should’ve been your first hint.’
‘If it helps, I’ll go first.’
Reiko realised she didn’t want to know. Learning the sordid details of his affair so soon after he’d been with her diminished him somehow—made him less than the man who’d helped her last night in the gym and kissed her scar without showing any revulsion.
She took a hasty gulp of her water and set the glass aside. ‘Only a few days ago you didn’t even want to be in the same room as me. Now you want to know my life story.’ She snorted. ‘Seriously, the way you’re acting, anyone would think you were hot for me.’
Her disbelieving laugh dried up when he just stared at her.
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He didn’t speak. Not one word. Yet the whole room boomed with the power of his thoughts.
