Page 63 of Brutal Savage

“How about you go run with Bubbles a bit while Ms. Hill and I have a talk?”

Here we go.

Nervousness falls over me, and I shiver, knowing he’s going to want to talk about Derek.

I’m ready for it. I have to be. I need him to stop chasing my demons before they take me with them.

Brody gives us both a curious glance before he marches away with the pup.

“Look, I?—”

But he doesn’t let me finish, cutting the distance between us until his front presses to mine. “Who’s Evelyn?” He tilts my chin up with the back of his hand. “And don’t you think about lying to me. You’re around my kid. I need to know what you’re involved in.”

His eyes narrow, his expression harsh.

My lashes flutter to a brief close while my chest grows heavy. “Okay, I’ll tell you. But promise me to let it go after that. I can’t have you messing up my life more than it already is.”

Though I hate thinking about my past, I gather the courage to tell him just enough so he’ll stop asking questions.

“Start talking.”

I blow out a breath and look up at the sky before my attention falls to him. “Look, you were right. There is an ex. I left him, and?—”

“Why?” His demeanor instantly shifts to something darker. “What did he do?”

My brows pinch, and I fight the tears when they come, the scar on my abdomen burning at the thought of Jerry.

I shake it off. “He hurt me, okay? Until I couldn’t take it anymore.”

His Adam’s apple bobs, and though his face hardens, his eyes grow tender. And it’s then his thumb skirts up my cheek and wipes the remnants of my pain.

“Elara…” His tortured breath kills me a little.

“I don’t want him to know where I am, so I changed my name. My real name is Evelyn Connors.”

His jaw clenches.

I hope I didn’t just make a mistake by telling him that, but I had to do something. He won’t find much on me anyway.

“The number you called, he’s a friend who still lives back home and keeps me in the loop if my ex goes sniffing. He’s the one who set me up with a new identity. Same for my grandparents.”

“Is your ex connected?”

“Please, Tynan.” I grip his hard bicep and it jerks. “I’m begging you to please let this go. Let me live in peace. I want to stay here. I want to be happy. Let me be happy.”

My vision blurs, and he inhales a long, deep breath.

“Was he your fiancé?”

I nod, shame filling my face.

“How long were you together?”

“Not long.”

“How’d you meet?”

Why does he look so upset about it?

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