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“Crystal, damn it, hold still. I can’t untie the knots if you keep fighting me. You’re just making them tighter.”
She heard him, but she couldn’t stop. She could see the look on his face as he stared down at her. He must think she’d lost her damn mind. And maybe she had. She began to shake with sobs, completely breaking down, her eyes closed tight against the image of his face, burned into her brain. The shocked look on it.
She felt something cold and steel and then he’d sliced through the sash with his knife. It snapped free, the bracelets with it, the beads scattering all over. She heard the knife clatter on the nightstand and then he was pulling her up, clutching her tightly to his chest.
“Baby, you’re okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” His hands ran up and down her back as he attempted to comfort her. But all she wanted was to get away, to put some distance between them. She shoved him back.
“Let me go. Let me up.”
“Crystal—”
She fought his hold, and he grabbed her wrists, trying to settle her down. And that’s when he felt them. His eyes flashed down, his thumbs sliding over the ugly rigged scar tissue that marred the inside of both wrists, exposed to him now that her bracelets weren’t there to hide them. They were plainly visible. An ugly, horrible reminder of just how deep that dark pit was that had almost completely sucked her in.
She tried to pull away, her actions almost instinctive. Self-preservation and reflex all rolled up in one.
“Don’t,” she bit out. But he wasn’t going to be put off. Not this time. His hold only tightened as he stared down at her wrists. And then his wide, stunned eyes flashed up to meet hers.
“Jesus Christ.” His words were barely a whisper, but she heard them. They ripped her heart out.
“Don’t you pity me. Don’t you dare pity me!” she hissed.
“You did this?”
She wouldn’t look at him.
“Crystal, my God, why?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She pulled again, and this time she slid free. He let her free. She scrambled off the bed. She grabbed up the first article of clothing she found lying on the floor. His flannel shirt. She tugged it on, buttoning a couple buttons to hold it closed and cover her nakedness. She felt exposed enough to him right now. She moved to stand in front of the window, needing space. There wasn’t very far she could go in the room, and she knew if she moved toward the door, he’d stop her. He’d allow her space, but only so much. He’d never let her walk out. Not now. Not until he dragged every wretched detail out of her. Crossing her arms in front of herself, she tried to build up the wall that he was determined to tear down.
“The hell it doesn’t.” He moved to stand behind her. She could feel him there, and she prayed he wouldn’t touch her. She’d break into a million pieces if he did, but at the same time, she felt bereft when he didn’t. “Baby, please, talk to me.”
She shook her head violently. “It’s over. It’s done. Please don’t make me talk about it.”
“I have to make you talk about it. If you can’t talk to me about it—hell baby, who can you?”
“You won’t want to hear it,” she warned.
“Crystal, I don’t run, and I don’t scare easily.” When she remained quiet, he coaxed, “You’re not the only one who has stuff they don’t want to talk about. We all have things we hope will never see the light of day.”
She felt his hand slip onto her shoulder.
“Your secrets are my secrets. Your demons are my demons. Tell me, and you’ll never have to fight them alone. I promise you that.”
A promise. From Wolf. He’d never once promised her anything.
She whirled on him then, determined to use anger to hold herself together. “Fine. You want to know? I’ll tell you. You’re right, Wolf, there was something more going on when I left.” She watched his jaw clamp shut, and she knew he wasn’t sure what she was about to spew at him. Hell, he didn’t have a clue what was coming. “I was pregnant, Wolf.”
She watched him visibly pale, and his voice came out in a whisper. “What?”
“Didn’t see that one coming, did you?”
He frowned. “You were pregnant? When you left? You were pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me?”
She swallowed, regretting for a moment dropping this bomb without any warning.
“Why didn’t you fucking tell me, Crystal?” he growled again.
There was the anger. She knew it’d show up sooner or later.
