Page 75 of Rogue’s Reckoning

My heart sinks at her reaction, confirming my worst fears. "Ghost got some intel," I explain, trying to keep my voice steady. "Lochlann's been bragging about it to his men."

Willow turns away, her arms wrapping around herself protectively. I can see her trembling and it takes every ounce of self-control not to pull her into my arms.

"I'm so sorry, Little Flower," I say softly. "I should have been there. I should have protected you."

She shakes her head, still not looking at me. "It's not your fault," she whispers. "You didn't know."

"But I should have," I insist, the guilt eating away at me. "I should have believed you from the start. If I had..."

Willow finally turns back to me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Rogue, please. Don't do this to yourself. What happened... it's in the past."

I step closer, gently taking her hands in mine. "It might be in the past, but it's still affecting you. The nightmares..."

She nods, a single tear escaping down her cheek. "They're usually about that night," she admits. "About... him."

Rage boils inside me at the thought of Lochlann touching her, hurting her. "I'll kill him," I growl. "I swear to you, Willow, I'll make him pay for what he did."

Willow's grip on my hands tightens. "No," she says firmly. "I don't want you risking your life for revenge. Wren needs you. I... I need you."

Her words give me pause. As much as I want to tear Lochlann apart with my bare hands, I know she's right. My family needs me here, safe.

"Okay," I say softly, pulling her into my arms. "But I promise you, he will never hurt you again. I'll die before I let that happen."

Willow leans into me, her body shaking with silent sobs. I hold her tightly, wishing I could take away all her pain and fear. Then she starts to talk, telling me what happened after I left her at the dorm that fucked up day.

Rage boils inside me,but I push it down. Christ... What the fuck was wrong with her sister? Who does that shit? But this isn't about my anger; it's about Willow's pain.

"I'm so sorry, Little Flower," I say, my voice rough with emotion. "I should have protected you."

Willow looks up at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "It wasn't your fault, Rogue. You didn't know."

"But I should have," I insist.

She nods in agreement. “I never gave you any reason to doubt me. You believed the worst about me, and it broke me, Ezra.” She sighs. “My parents showed up and it was just toomuch. I told them to leave. I needed them gone. They didn’t care about me. They only ever cared about Ivy. Once they left, I packed my stuff and got the first train out of Boston.”

I feel sick to my stomach. God, the shit she’s been through. The thought of Lochlann violating her, of her own sister standing by and watching... it fills me with a murderous rage. But I force myself to stay calm, to be the support that Willow needs right now.

"I'm so sorry you went through that alone," I say softly, pulling her closer. "I can't imagine how scared and betrayed you must have felt."

Willow nods against my chest, her voice muffled. "I was terrified. And so angry—at Lochlann, at Ivy, at my parents for always treating me second best. At you and the club for putting me in that position in the first place."

Her words hit me like a physical blow, but I know I deserve them. "You had every right to be angry," I tell her. "We all failed you. I failed you."

She pulls back slightly to look at me. "I don't blame you anymore, Ezra. Not really. You didn't know what Lochlann had done."

"But I should have believed you from the start," I insist. "I let my loyalty to the club blind me to the truth. And because of that, you suffered alone for years."

Willow is quiet for a moment, then says softly, "Not entirely alone. I had Wren and Natalia."

At the mention of our daughter, I feel a mixture of love and regret wash over me. "She saved you," I realize.

Willow nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "In more ways than one. I found out I was pregnant the morning you returned home to bring me here. It gave me something to live for, to fight for. She's the reason I'm still here."

My gut clenches at the knowledge she was pregnant the day we tortured her. Christ, she could have lost the baby. My heart thumps against my chest. I could have lost everything. I press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Thank you for telling me all this," I say. "I know it couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't," she admits. "But I think... I think I needed to say it out loud. To let it out."

We sit in silence for a while, just holding each other. Finally, I speak again, my voice low and intense. "I swear to you, Willow, Lochlann will pay for what he did. He'll never hurt you or anyone else ever again."

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