Page 67 of Saving Shepperd

“Shepperd,” I tried again, but she had apparently reached her limit. She was fully crying as she glared at me and took off through the house with me hot on her heels.

“Baby, let’s talk this out. I’m not trying to upset you. It’s the last thing I wanted,” I said to her back as I followed her through the kitchen and down the hall to the bedroom.

“Just leave me alone,” she said through her tears that had ramped up to full sobs. She was the first one through the bedroom door and tried to slam the heavy thing in my face. Luckily–and that was probably the only time I would say that—her tiny body was no match for the thick, oak slab, so it closed with much less force and speed than she wanted.

I easily caught the door before it closed and barged right into the room behind her.

She basically trapped herself by storming in here, but maybe with her cornered she would hear me out.

Instead, she started yanking her things out of the closet and tossing them in a heap on the floor.

“What are you doing?” I asked, watching her move back and forth between the closet and the pile.

“What does it look like? Leaving. Then you won’t have to be burdened with the likes of me,” she said in uneven gasps.

I stepped forward and caged her entire torso in my arms. “Stop this.”

“I don’t want to be here with you,” she whimpered while struggling to get away.

Not going to lie. That one hurt.

“I know you’re angry, but don’t say things you don’t mean or can’t take back when this blows over.” It was solid advice from years of maturity on her young twenty-two. “You can’t run away every time we don’t agree on something.”

“Watch me,” she seethed and tried to pull out of my arms again.

So I waited her out. Let her wear herself down struggling in my embrace until she finally collapsed against my chest and cried. I stroked my hand over her head and down the length of her silky hair. The whole time I stayed silent except for lots ofshhhhhand random kisses to the top of her head.

“I’m so mad,” she finally croaked from against my body.

“I know, baby. And I’m sorry for that. The last thing I meant was for you to be mad or hurt,” I replied but didn’t move. I was afraid if I let go, she’d take off again.

“Why does everyone think they know what’s best for me? I’m not a child.”

“Having that conversation this morning with Elijah wasn’t because I think I know what you need. In fact, it was the exact opposite of that. I don’t know what you need, and I thought he would have some insight.”

She didn’t respond, but she finally hugged me back as we stood in the middle of the bedroom.

“You don’t have to fix me, Law. I mean, I get that I’m totally fucked up, but just once in my life, can’t someone love me for the person I am? Not the person they wish I were?”

“First of all, that’s not what I said.” I pulled back and ducked down a bit to meet her teary stare. “I said I want to help you. I never saidfixyou. You have to stop twisting my words around to fit your narrative here.”

Again, she said nothing. I badly wanted her to take responsibility for that habit. It needed to stop, but if she wouldn’t admit to doing it, we were further from that happening than I’d hoped.

But I wasn’t done responding to her last comment. Hopefully, I wasn’t about to make things worse.

“I do love you for the person you are, and I think you’re perfect just the way you are. I don’t have some manufactured version of you I’m trying to mold you into. I love this version of you right here.” I cradled her face in my palms and swiped her tear-streaked cheeks with my thumbs.

“You love me?” she whispered.

I smiled. “It’s definitely feeling that way,” I responded after taking in the features of her angelic face.

Even though she’d been crying, I’d never seen a more beautiful woman. Her eyes were big and bright with unshed tears. The glassy sheen made the blue so much deeper, so much more intense. Her long lashes were stuck together in pointed clusters that framed her eyes like my sister’s childhood dolls. She looked innocent and fragile, and every manly instinct in my body roared to life. I wanted to take care of her and protect her in a way I’d never felt before. If that wasn’t how it felt to love someone, I had no hope of ever feeling it.

“What did you tell him? I have to know what damage control I’m looking at.”

“Damage control?” I asked, frustrated that we were going right back to this. “I told you I didn’t say anything that would betray the confidence you’ve given me. I wouldn’t do that to you.” What I didn’t admit out loud was how much her distrust stung. It really seemed like I was paying for crimes I didn’t commit, and she wasn’t capable of seeing how unfair that was.

But I was exhausted. This whole situation was exhausting, and it was at the point that felt like we were chasing our tails.

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