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“It was my mess too Luke, but I didn’t go back because I still want to leave. I promised to stay until I was back to being me and I feel better but not completely,” she told him, adding on another lie because she didn’t feel better. She was still as miserable as she had been but this time it was because he’d been too good to her.
“Is that the only reason you’re staying for now?” he inquired holding her hand tightly.
“No, there’s always been something between us Luke and the last two months have been so good with that.”
“Then why did you go visit the lawyer again?”
“To tell him I didn’t need his services,” she answered truthfully. “I’d hoped to get my retainer back, but he refused.”
“You’re staying then?”
“I’m staying but this thing with your brother has to end Luke. I’m so sorry for putting you here,” she said gently as she moved into his arms.
“Good lord, you didn’t just apologize tohimdid you Dani?” Tyler stated and she turned her head to see him push the door open the rest of the way.
Luke tensed and Dani knew she needed to get Tyler out of the room before he exploded again.
“How can you stay with him Dani?” Tyler added coming into the room with the others behind him.
“Luke wouldn’t be in here if he hadn’t listened to me yelling at you two,” she countered keeping her hand in Luke’s. “He stopped because he knows that I hate violence.”
“Why’s that Dani? Because he puts bruises all over you and you have to stay quiet about it all?”
“Luke doesn’t hurt me.”
“Dani, we heard him. He asked why you didn’t tell the truth, that he wasn’t going to let you go,” Angela said gently. “I get that you love him but…”
“But nothing.” Dani sighed glancing away. She looked over to Luke and saw the regret in his gaze. “No more protecting our secret I guess.”
“Dani, baby, don’t,” he said lifting his hand to brush the strands of hair from her face as they shaded her from the others.
“Don’t what Luke, don’t admit to us that you’ve been threatening to hurt her if she tried to leave you?” Tyler demanded. “Dani just tell us what he’s done, and we’ll make sure you’re safe from him.”
“It’s not what he’s done, it’s what he’s been trying to keep me from doing,” she said turning to look back at them. “He didn’t want you all to know.”
“Know what?” Joan asked seeing the pain on her face. “Dani…”
“I was more depressed than I let on, after the incidents with Chance and losing the baby,” she stated glancing back at Luke. She sent him a smile and squeezed his hand letting him know she could handle this without revealing everything.
“Okay, what does that have to do with today?” Tyler asked.
“The real reason Luke’s been so overprotective of me is because he doesn’t want to walk in to find me unconscious again.”
“But Chance is dead, he can’t hurt you,” Angela stated.
“But I could hurt myself…”
“Dani,” Luke said bringing her back to him. “Don’t.”
“They need to know Luke; after Chance broke in and attacked us, I couldn’t sleep. The doctor prescribed sleeping pills and I tried to…”
“Oh my god,” Angela gasped.
“Dani,” Joan added moving over to her. “When?”
“About a week after, Luke found me and kept it quiet.”
“You never said a word,” Wren stated looking between them.
