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‘Why did you save me?’ I asked him in the dark.
I heard the breath hitch in his throat. ‘You know why.’
I shuffled around so I was facing him and put a tentative hand out, searching in the darkness until I found his cheek. I brushed my thumb along his jaw, enjoying the way his stubble tickled my hand.
‘But why me?’ I pressed. ‘Why not some other girl?’
‘You’re different,’ he said. ‘You’re not afraid of me.’
I drew breath sharply. ‘Yes, I am,’ I whispered. My lips trembled as those words slipped out. Of course I was afraid of him.
He ran a hand over my shoulder, down to my waist, then back up to the skin and bone that shielded my heart. He left his hand there. The weight of it felt oddly reassuring. ‘There’s something here,’ he finally murmured. ‘Something that’s on fire.’
So he felt it, too. It wasn’t just me.
‘So you don’t go saving every girl your father takes possession of?’
He chuckled. ‘No. You’re definitely the first and last.’
Something about that resonated with me deeply. Impulsively, I leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.
‘Thank you,’ I whispered. God, I was so confused. Part of me was screaming in protest — why was I thanking Emilio’s son? His men killed Este.
But Dornan had saved me. He had stopped me from being auctioned like a head of cattle or a piece of furniture; stopped me from enduring even more horrific punishments.
‘You know,’ I said, resting a hand on his chest, ‘I don’t really know anything about you.’
He laughed. ‘I’m an open book. What do you wanna know?’
I bit my lip as I thought. ‘How long have you been married?’ I asked. Might as well get the worst question out of the way first.
He stiffened momentarily. ‘Too fucking long,’ he said. ‘Marriage is overrated. I know. I’ve done it twice.’
‘Twice!’ I pushed his chest lightly.
‘I have six kids,’ he said quietly. ‘All boys.’
My heart leapt into my mouth. He was a father. I hadn’t realised that.
‘And you’re here with me?’ I asked. ‘Shouldn’t you be with them?’
His gripped my wrist tightly. Maybe I’d asked the wrong question, pried too deeply.
‘I’ll go home to them,’ he said, ‘soon. Right now, I’m here with you.’
‘What are their names?’ I asked, as I thought of my own son. Maybe I could tell him. Maybe it would be all right.
‘Chad’s the oldest,’ Dornan said quietly, his expression softening. Pride. It wrapped itself around his features and clung tight as he rattled off another five names. A proud father.
Este would never be a proud father because he was dead.
I suddenly felt awful. If Este could see what I’d become . . .
‘Does your wife know you sleep with other women?’ I asked.
Another chuckle. ‘I’ve never asked her. But yeah, I’m pretty fuckin’ sure she knows.’
I opened my mouth to ask another question but he pressed a finger to my lips.
