Page 22 of Dancing With Delusion

“Are you happy here?” He almost looks nervous, and I can’t help but smile.

“Of course. Are you happy to have me here?”

His frown softens and he buries his head into the crook of my neck. “You have no idea how happy I am.”

“Even when I’m acting crazy?” I ask, my voice slightly less confident.

He nips at the skin, forcing me onto my back so he can lie over me. Propping himself up onto his arms, he stares down at me. “I love all of you, Victoria, even the crazy. The therapist is to help you, not to change you.”

“I know,” I whisper, breaking eye contact. “She’s nice.”

“You think?” he asks, sounding doubtful.

I laugh. “She certainly put you straight.”

“She’s clearly a man hater. Maybe she’s a lesbian.”

I laugh harder. “Just because she didn’t drop at your feet like every other female? Maybe she’s just a confident woman who doesn’t like a man bossing her around.”

He grins, dropping a kiss to my cheek. “Like someone else I know.”

“Me?” I ask innocently. “You just made me strip and I didn’t argue.”

“Because you know your place,” he teases, kissing me again before dropping down beside me. “I’ve never had this.”

I turn my head to the side to watch him. He looks sad again. “What?”

“Love,” he says simply.

“You’ve never been in love?” I ask, surprised. He shakes his head. “What are we doing, Dmitry?” I ask. “Are you trying to save me?”

He turns onto his side to stare at me. “No. I think you’re saving me.”

Marshall is dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed when I enter his room. It’s been just over a week since the incident and his face is still a mix of purple and yellow bruises, but the swelling appears to be better. “Apparently, you’re feeling better,” I state.

He grins. “If I don’t get up and move, how will I keep an eye on you?”

“I’ll have you know I’m on my best behaviour lately. I thought we could go for a walk,” I suggest. He pushes to stand, wincing and clearly still in pain. I rush over, taking an arm and supporting him. “Maybe you should take another day to rest?”

“No,” he says firmly. I arch a brow at his tone, and he smiles. “Sorry, I just need to get out this room.”

It takes us a while to make it down the stairs and out into the fresh air. I offer to get Dmitry or Nik to help, but he refuses, insisting he can cope with the pain.

“Let’s just walk around the house,” I say, hooking my arm into his. He immediately unhooks it, and I stuff my hands into my pockets. “Sorry,” I mumble.

“It’s not you, Tori,” he tells me. “I just don’t want to upset the boss again.”

“I don’t know how you can stick around after what they’ve done.”

“I told you, it’s the life I’m in. Besides, it’s not easy to just walk. I’ve seen too much, heard too many things.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means, even if I wanted to, I can’t just leave.”

“Do you want to?”

“No.”

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