Page 158 of Never Fall for an Angel

She looks back towards the fire as if she’s mulling over what I said.

“You were sliced open. Do the scars on your skin hurt worse than the scars on your soul?” When I don’t respond out of confusion, she continues. “I saw them when I walked in on you earlier.”

Well, shit.

“Looked like it hurt. Whoever they were, they were fucked-up.”

“You have no idea,” I grumble, a shiver ghosting through me at the mention of Sebastian, a brother she thinks is dead.

I take another drink of wine because it’s easier than speaking about that night.

“Scars on the skin heal,” I say after a long moment of silence. I hand her back the bottle of wine when she reaches for it. “The ones inside like to stick around.”

“How many were there?”

“Men?” I ask. “One. One deranged, sadistic asshole.”Who just so happens to be related to you.

She shakes her head, a tear beading on her lashes, but it doesn’t fall.

“I was so confused when Christian brought you here, saying you were married,” she admits. “But now I can see it.”

“I’m sorry?”

She smiles softly.

“I’ve never seen my brother in love before.”

My chest aches at the mention ofthatstupid little four letter word. That word has haunted me since I met him.

“I wouldn’t say it’s love.”

“I would.”

“Wouldn’t you say he was also in love with Talia if he proposed to her?”

I hate saying her name. I hate it so much it burns on my tongue the moment it leaves my mouth.

She shakes her head, her gaze lingering on the fire.

“No. He’s different with you. Softer.” She gulps down some of the wine. “If he’s got a weakness, then you’re it.”

My stomach bottoms out hearing that. I’ve never considered Christian to have any weaknesses, least of all me.

“I apologize if I made things uncomfortable earlier. With your . . . Talia . . .”

She shrugs. “She deserved it. Honestly, I was hoping you’d punch her.” She side-eyes me. “Thanks for letting me down.”

I chuckle when she grins, placing the bottle in my hand.

“I’ve always hated her,” she says, drawing her knees up to her chest. Seeing her now, in nothing but cotton shorts and a tank top, it’s easy to see how young she is. “I want to apologize for the way I treated you when you arrived. And for Talia. Not my finest moment.”

To be twenty-five and have to worry about not only your dying father, but this lodge, all its guests and employees, and now me, hanging over her head . . . I can’t imagine.

“I’m sorry for intruding. The marriage was fast,” I tell her, hoping to build some sort of bridge between us where we can at least speak to each other. “It didn’t help matters that Christian and Levi took off right after.”

“You aren’t intruding. It’s nice to have another woman here my age. Don’t tell Paulina.” She shakes her head with a soft chuckle. “We all used to be so close. Don’t get me wrong, theymake sure everything’s taken care of, but it’s just me, Paulina, and Dad here, and well . . . Dad’s not great company.” She grimaces. “He wasn’t good company before he got sick, though, so I don’t know why I expected anything different.”

“He and Christian don’t seem to be close.”

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