Page 48 of Her Shifter Babe

I got up and moved over to the seat next to the bed to close the distance between us, to offer her the security of my presence and strength. I didn’t know a lot about controlling, manipulative men firsthand. My dad was a great man, as were most of the men in my pack. But Stacey wasn’t lying, that was obvious. So, what had been the trigger point? “Tell me more. Why did you eventually leave?”

She stared at me, meeting my gaze with a fire I hadn’t expected to see. “Because he told me that he was going on a business trip and that he’d planted cameras in our house so he could watch me while he was gone.”

I groaned, appalled. “Are you fucking with me?”

What a fucking psycho, insecure dick.

She shook her head. “No. He always dropped little hints that he knew where I was. Or he’d call and tell me that he had people everywhere. He’d even introduce me to people, then tell me afterward they were hitmen. Men who specialized in making sure wives stayed loyal to their husbands.”

She visibly shuddered. “The day he went on his business trip, despite the fear and the threat of hitmen, I ran away. I took some cash, and a few clothes, but that was it. And just so you know, we honestly hadn’t had sex in months. Months. I didn’t want to. I couldn’t stand the thought of him touching me. I told him I had infections, made up excuses and just... you know... put him off.”

“I believe you,” I told her, because really, it didn’t matter. And I had to extend my trust to her if I expected hers in return.

She blinked at me, her gaze searching. “You do?”

“Of course I do,” I answered, reaching for her hand. “And it doesn’t matter to me, anyway. This baby is yours, and I want you. We’re a package deal, all of us—together—sweetheart.”

Her eyes shimmered again with unshed tears, then she nodded. “You’re right,” she said, but then looked away.

I couldn’t help but feel like I’d done or said the wrong thing.

Shit.

“I do believe you, Stacey. I just meant that the baby is obviously biologically Tommy’s, and we’ve already made our own little family, haven’t we? The three of us and our child—our daughter? I mean it doesn’t matter to me that it’s not mine... I’m here for you all, regardless.”

She nodded, but she didn’t say anything else and gently withdrew her hand from mine.

With every passing second of silence that eclipsed between us, I began to feel like I was intruding on her time. She didn’t want me here anymore and I didn’t know how to take back my words or reword them any better. I’d fucked up again even as I bloody well tried to fix it!

With a quiet groan Stacey slowly slid down the bed and lay on her side, her back to me.

I stood up, hands in my pockets, feeling like a boy in trouble. “Do you want me to go?” I asked.

“I might try to get some sleep,” she answered simply, closing her eyes.

I glanced toward the door. Our town hospital was small, and there were no full-time security guards. So, there was no way I was going home if there was even a remote possibility that her ex-husband would show up. “I won’t be far, okay?” I promised, leaning down to kiss her hair. “And I have my cell phone if you need me.”

She didn’t respond and it felt like a bucket of ice water on my soul. So, I left the room with my heart aching and my guilt heavier than ever.

Fuck me. How am I going to fix this?

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