Page 57 of Camden

He shook his head, leaning away from me. His expression shone with love. “I don’t wanna talk right now. I wanna hear you say it again, sweetness.”

“Cam. Please. I need you to hear me. To fully see me first.”

“I do see you.”

“You don’t know everything yet and I need you to. Please?”

A sigh puffed from his lips, but he agreed. “Okay. Tell me why you were crying.”

“How’d you know I was crying?”

“I know you.”

“There was a girl that was brought in today,” I started, my eyes watering. “She had been hit. Multiple times. And then pushed down the stairs.”

“Shit,” Cam hissed.

“I have been in the emergency room again for a couple of months now. I’ve seen a lot of terrible things. But this one?” I shuddered. “This one was different.” Cam’s brow dropped. His lips flattened as he waited for me to continue. “I used to date a guy named Jax. My high school sweetheart. We dated for years. After I graduated nursing school, I moved back home to be with him, but the guy I left was not the guy I came home to.” I shifted on the couch as Cam took a seat next to me, holding my hand as I continued.

“It started verbally. He would tell me I was lucky to have him. That no one else would want me. That I was trash.” I laughed humorlessly. “I stayed. I should’ve left then, but I stayed and tried to make myself what he would want. After a few months, he started physically assaulting me. He’d grab my arms. Shake me. Leave bruises. He pushed me against cabinets and walls. He’d never leave marks where they’d be seen. It was always my upper arms. My rib. My back.” Cam’s nostrils flared, and his jaw ticked. The hardened look in his eyes—murderous.

“One day, he came home from the bar he was at before he had to start his shift at the factory. He worked nights. He found a receipt for a pregnancy test and lost it. Accused me of cheating on him. He didn’t give me time to explain that the test was negative. He punched me in the face. The force of it knocked me down the stairs. I dislocated my shoulder. Broke a couple of ribs. The back of my arm started bleeding. He told me to take care of the mess, stepped over me, and walked away.

When I heard his truck pull out, I picked myself up, packed a bag, and left. I didn’t bring anything with me but what I could fit in that bag. I drove straight to Rylie’s. All seventeen hours only stopped for food and gas. I hadn’t seen or talked to her in months, and I just showed up on her doorstep.”

“Fuck,” Cam hissed through clenched teeth.

Closing my eyes, I dropped my head; my hair blocked my face as it fell. I rubbed the blanket, the soft fabric keeping me grounded. My voice shook. “I understand if this changes things for you.”

“Stephanie,” he said sternly. When I looked up at him, the muscle in his jaw flexed, but his eyes softened. “Why would that change things for me?”

“Because I was weak, Cam. I allowed it to happen. I—”

He cut me off. “No.” His voice was hard, but he cupped the back of my neck with the softest touch. “No.Hewas the weak one. You, beautiful, you are strong. You endured more than I could ever imagine. You got out.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. “But I stayed. I should’ve left after the first time. I should’ve left.”

“He should’ve treasured you. He should’ve worshipped the ground that you walked on.”

“Cam.” His name came out with a sigh.

“Look at me, sweetness.” His voice was pleading. I opened my eyes, our gaze connecting. “I will not sit here and let you talk down about yourself, Stephanie. I won’t allow it. You are strong. You are brave. You are everything good in this world. He didn’t see that, but I do. I will never let you forget it. And I fucking promise you that no one will ever touch you again.” He pressed his head forehead to mine. “Do you hear me? Never. Again. You’re mine, and I will protect you.”

My chest cracked open because I believed him. “I love you.” My voice was soft but strong. It didn’t shake. There were no nerves. No hesitation.

His breath hitched. “Say it again.”

“I love you, Camden James. With everything that I am. With everything I want to be. I love you.”

He crashed his mouth against mine. It wasn’t soft or sweet. It was full of passion. Heat. Like he couldn’t control his reaction to me. I panted as he pulled back. “I love you, too.”

Tears threatened to fall for a completely different reason. “You do?”

“One hundred percent, ass over head in love with you.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CAMDEN

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