Page 32 of Beautifully Shattered
I nod. “Me either. I thought about calling Andrea, but I just can’t deal with having a conversation about everything. I don’twant to hear her say how sorry she is.” I swallow thickly. “Does that make me a bigger bitch?”
“Fuck no, Abs. You’re not a bitch at all. Not even close.” He pauses, clearing his throat. “How about I give her a call in the morning? I’ll do most of the talking.”
My lips twitch a little wider, and shit, I think it’s a hint of a smile.
“Thank you.”
“Of course, Angel.”
We fall silent, but we continue to stare at each other.
I know he’s years and years older than me, but he doesn’t make me feel it.
He makes me feel like his equal. Most of the time.
And God. The things he’s done to protect me. To save me. Tokillfor me.
“Were you crying because of me?” I dare to ask, remembering how he fell to his knees out by the lake, like life was too heavy to carry.
“Truth?” he asks, his eyes searching mine, and I nod.
“Please.”
“Yes, mostly.”
His head dips, eyes falling like he can’t stand for me to see the truth on his face.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, feeling the stab of guilt. “I never meant to treat you so badly.”
He shakes his head, jaw tight.
“I can handle you lashing out at me, Angel. What I couldn’t handle was knowing I failed you. Knowing that cunt Allen, raped you.”
My throat locks up, burning, and it takes me a few tries to swallow it down, just enough to speak.
“You didn’t fail me,” I say, my voice scratchy, but he just shrugs, eyes still cast down.
“I just want to protect you. Stop all this bad shit from happening, but I can’t seem to get a grip on anything long enough to make it stick.”
His eyes flick back up to mine, and there’s something dark in them now. Something I don’t recognise.
“I… need to tell you something,” he rasps, his voice rough as his brows pucker, and I stiffen.
I don’t like how that sounds, and I know whatever it is, I’m not going to like it.
“Tell me what?” I manage to ask, even though my heart is hammering.
He sighs, remaining quiet for a moment like he’s stalling, or trying to figure out how to put his words together.
Shit. Maybe Idon’twant to hear this.
“I found out who gave up your location to Allen. The one who set the ambush on the compound in motion. And your kidnapping… all of it.”
I bolt upright in bed, my eyes wide as I stare down at him.
“Someonegave up my location? I thought… I just assumed they tracked me somehow.”
I’d never really thought about it before. I just knew Ringo left, and they came.
