Page 51 of Cuts Like An Angel: Part 3

“And you dated her?”

Maybe dated was the wrong word, but he wasn’t sure Rosie would understand any of this. “Not really. We …”

“Did you have sex with her?”

He took too long to answer and felt Rosie bristle in front of him, but he caught her hand before she could pull away. “We were friends. Don’t let my mother get into your head. That’s all this is. Okay? You know I’ve slept with others before you. You’ve slept with other men before me. We’re not teenagers with a fresh life that’s untouched. If you give my mother an inch, she’s going to take it and then some.”

“But did you love Sam?”

“Rosie …” he said, not meaning to sigh with it, but that’s how it came out.

“Does that mean yes?”

“I loved her like a best friend. When she died, I hadn’t seen her in a while. Years maybe. We were kids, fifteen or something like that. I think I was twenty-three the last time we saw each other and that was a couple of years after totally losing touch. She went off to university. She died when she was twenty-four.” He slid his hand into hers, tangling his fingers with hers. “Don’t let Maria do this to you. I promise, this is all her. That photo album wasn’t in any of those boxes, you realise that?”

“That’s where I found it.”

“Yep. That’s where you found it, but all the albums we have are in the cupboard in the landing. She must have got it somehow and put it in the box.”

Rosie shivered and if she believed him, he wasn’t so sure. He rubbed his hands along her arms. “You’re going to catch a chill. Maybe we should go inside.”

“It’s only been a few days and I think I’m going crazy already.”

William kissed her. Just a light kiss. One that spoke of apologies and all the things she needed to hear. He’d say them one day. When he could. When he had the courage. “Think of her like the devil trying to possess you. If you let her in, she’ll fester until there’s nothing left. Okay?”

All Rosie could do was nod.

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