Page 48 of Fiery Romance

“I’m talking about living. Men held as prisoners of war mostly get tortured, but women…”

“There are some things worse than death,” I whisper and feel a cold shudder go down my back.

“Anya didn’t want that outcome. Not for her sisters in arms.” He has to stop for a minute.

I can’t even breathe until he starts speaking again.

“She took out the hostile forces almost on her own, but not before she sustained a shot to the gut and then one straight through the heart.”

A tear builds at the corner of my eyes. “I’m so sorry. I… I can’t even imagine how horrible…”

Words seem so trite and unworthy in this moment.

“That’s awful. How old was Regan?”

“Young enough to barely understand what ‘mommy’s never coming back’ means. My older son seemed to take it better, but most of the time I don’t understand him so…” He blows out a breath. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.” Clay lets out a little laugh, but there’s not a hint of humor in it. “You do something to me, Hayes.”

“If it makes you feel any better, you do something to me too.”

“Yeah.” He glances over. “What’s that?”

“You bring out the crazy thoughts I didn’t even know I had.”

He gives me a semblance of a smile. It seems hard-wrought but genuine. “Like your plan today?”

“You were right. There was no step two.”

“I must admit a bat is an upgrade from a hair dryer.”

I chuckle.

It feels right.

For the first time since we met, I don’t want to choke him to death.

“Thanks for sharing,” I say.

“Don’t thank me. Makes it awkward.”

“Fine.” Since he went so deep with me, I decide to return the gesture. “How about something awkward from me?”

“I’m listening.”

“The car you towed belonged to my ex. Well, my future husband. Who’s currently my ex.”

His eyes widen. “Wow. That’s… wow. Future husband?”

“We started dating in high school and didn’t spend a day apart.”

“What changed?”

“Taz didn’t get the job he’d always wanted and things got hard at home. After that, he said he needed a break to see the world before he came back to marry me.”

“Needed a break. To see the world or to see other people?”

I press my lips together, feeling exposed.

“Like I said, I do this for a living. I know people.”

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