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He swears. “So they say. He definitely killed mine.”
“Well—”
“Cat.” He continues to massage me. He’s so damned controlled except when he’s fucking me. “You only have some of the story. A lot isn’t mine to tell, and mine isn’t anyone’s business. Not even Jac’s.”
I’m not sure what that means, but something tells me to remain quiet. So I do.
“My fucking father deserved it. Lili… Jac’s little sister… they say his mother died in childbirth, but his father was a violent man. He beat her mother so badly she died. And to keep Lili safe, Jac devoted his time to being raised to be like him, and doing what was asked.” Hendrick pauses and then his voice drops.
“He loved Lili. He did everything to protect her. Took all the beatings that would have gone her way, made sure she wasn’t there when he wasn’t, and he took those beatings beyond when he could fight back. To protect her.
“His father hit her once. Jac beat the living shit out of him, and told him he’d kill him if he put so much as a finger on Lili. He was always saving her. Until he didn’t.”
There’s a note in his voice I don’t understand. But I know it. It’s pain, pure, deep, old. It’s worn into him. The complexities of Hendrick are mesmerizing, but this hurts, because I can feel the edges of his pain.
“How do you know this?” I whisper.
“I just do.” He stands, holds out his hand, as he releases the plug. “Come on. You’ll be a prune otherwise.”
He dries me slowly and with reverence, and I know I don’t deserve it after fucking Jac. But he doesn’t say a word about that. Doesn’t taunt or bring it up.
“Magdalena, listen to me.” I meet his gaze. “Jac won’t thank you for knowing this. Leave it be unless he brings it up. We had shit fucking lives, but we handled it all differently. Jac blames me for losing everything, and in a way, he’s right. Just…just leave it. If he brings it up, let him.”
I yawn and nod. And there’s a small smile on his beautiful face.
“Hendrick—”
“I’m putting you to bed. Come on.”
He leads me dry, naked, and bruised to the bedroom, and after laying me in bed, he lowers the shades and pulls back the covers.
I don’t like being treated like a breakable doll, but I don’t have the strength to fight him.
He pulls the covers up and climbs on the bed next to me.
“Hendrick? Get under the covers.”
“Okay.”
He does, and the heat of him is amazing. I wiggle back against him, his arms coming around me.
“Cat?”
“Yes?”
“My other advice is return Jac’s money. You’re not getting the necklace.”
I smile and close my eyes.
As I drift off, I make a silent vow.
I’m getting the Heart of Dark Desires.
No matter what.
SIXTEEN
JAC
