Page 50 of Truths

“Already got that today, but thanks for the offer,” she says, her voice even. “Dax, you can't give Dani what she needs right now, and she can't give you what you need. If you keep doing what you're doing, you're going to push her away.”

He laughs before snarling and getting even closer. So close that Lex can tell he had pizza for dinner. Likely frozen. “I heard you were a bitch, but I hadn't seen it until now.”

“No, you still haven't seen the bitch in me. But keep pushing me and spitting in my face, and you will,” she says as Dani reaches out and grabs her hand. “Look at Dani, Dax. She's terrified. Is this really what you want to do to her?”

Stepping back, his eyes lock on his wife's hand clutching Lex's. It's clear he's assessing the situation, and it obviously hurts him that his wife inches away from his touch but finds comfort in Lex. He looks almost as scared as Dani. “Do you want to go and stay with Lex and Colt?” he asks Dani.

Nodding, Dani slides her legs to the ground and inches closer to Lex. “Yes.”

He grimaces and sighs. “Fine. As long as Colt's okay with it.”

“Colt?” Lex calls.

“Whatever you want, baby,” he says, and Dax's shoulders fall. He'd clearly been holding out hope Colt would disagree with Lex.

She turns to Dani. “I'll have Colt take me home to get my car, and I'll come back to get you. We'll stop by your house to get some things for you, and then we'll go to my house. Does that sound okay?”

Dani nods. “Thank you, Lex,” she whispers.

Smiling at her, she stands, and Colt meets her as they walk to the door. He holds it open for her, and they walk out to his bike. Dax bolts out after them.

“How long?”

“I don't know,” she says. “As long as she needs.”

“What makes you think you have any idea what she needs?” Dax challenges.

Colt tenses beside her, but Lex steps closer to Dax. “I can see how conflicted she is. It's in her eyes, Dax.”

“Conflicted about what?”

“She wants to let you comfort her... for you. But whatever she went through with the Kingsmen won't let her. None of us, other than Dani, knows what she went through with them, but it was clearly bad. Worse than bad. You're trying to get what you need, which I can't fault you for, but it's going against whatsheneeds.”

“Lex-”

“You're going to lose her again if you keep pushing,” she says, deciding direct is the best option right now.

Running his hand over his face, he sighs. “I lost her for almost three years, Lex. You have no idea... this is really fucking hard for me. Do you understand that?”

Her hand reaches out and squeezes his hand. “I do. I can see how much all of this is hurting you, and that's why I'm trying to help save you from yourself. You'll know where she is and who she's with. You'll know she's safe, and she'll have the ability to just be. If she starts to process, she may need to talk about what happened. The difference with you and me is that I have noexpectations for her. I have no one else for her to be except the version of Dani she is right now.”

“Will she get better?” he asks, his voice barely a whisper.

“I hope so. But I need you to think about something. Something you probably don't want to, and something that may make you hate me.”

His head snaps up, and she never releases his hand. “What?”

“The Dani you remember is gone, and she might not ever come back. You have to figure out if you can love the Dani she is now.”

“You think I don't love her?” he shouts, pulling his hand away from hers. “Are you serious?”

Colt steps in and pushes him back a little. “That's not what she's saying. You want her to be the person she was before everyone thought she was dead, and she might not be able to be that person again. The woman you knew as your wife. That's who you want and who you're trying to bring back, but that's not who she sees when she looks in the mirror anymore. Can you handle it if she’s not her?”

“I love her. I wanted to die without her, and I'll have her however I can,” Dax says, conviction in his tone.

“Let me spend some time with her,” Lex says. “I know you don't understand, but I do. You, Everlee, hell, even Kara, all have a version of Dani you see when you look at her. That's the pressure I was talking about earlier, but she doesn't have that with me. I'd only met her a few times before this, and you’re right. I didn’t know her. Not really. But trust me, going somewhere without people looking at you as though you’re supposed to be something more than you currently are can be so freeing. Plus, she'll be able to open up to a woman better than a man.”

“She better come back to me,” he says, his hands wiping at tears.

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