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Having her here is more than my self-restraint can stand. And now she wants me to unveil yet another piece of me?
Give her more charred remnants of my heart?
“Why do you want to know?” I ask gruffly.
“Just… thinking about how your mom acted around Lana today. It seemed a little excessive. I got the feeling that there was more behind all that anger.” She studies my face in the shadows.
I shut my mouth.
Fight letting her in.
I can’t show her that side of me.
That fire marked a split in my life.
There was the Brogan that lived before the accident and the one that came out of the flames.
Elizabeth’s shoulders sag. “It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me.”
I glance at her.
She turns away, rolling on her other side so her back is to me.
I look at the ceiling again. “I was partner at my old law firm.”
Elizabeth turns back.
“I worked long hours. Spent weeks away on business trips.” I lift a hand and brace it behind my head. “I was working to support her and Steph. I thought money would make her happy. I thought giving her the lifestyle she’d longed for would make her love me more.”
“Oh, Brogan…”
“Looking back, there were hints that I missed. Or I chose to ignore.” I laugh bitterly. “I thought we were in love. I never once considered—” I stop. Inhale. “One night, I came back early from a business trip. I didn’t tell Lana. I wanted to surprise her. But when I walked in…”
I grit my teeth as the memory parades before me in sharp colors.
Candles all around.
Romantic music playing.
Lana.
Naked.
In bed.
Moaning.
Panting.
Some guy on top of her.
Some guy that wasn’t me.
“I grabbed the guy. We fought. There were candles. Lots of curtains. The place caught fire, but we were still fighting. All I could see was my rage. The next thing I knew, there was an explosion. Lana was trapped.”
“You saved her.”
“I wrapped us both in a damp sheet and got her out, but a metal pole fell on my hands while I was running down the stairs.” I lift them up to the moonlight. Watch the ugly purple scars.
