Page 61 of Seducing Her Scarred Boss

‘What?’mshe wailed. ‘Dad!’

A warm hand touched hers, but it wasn’t the right hand.

‘Sophy?’ Her mother bent over her. ‘Honey, are you okay?’

Had she just sobbed? Just a little bit?

‘He’ll be back. He’ll come back, I’m sure. We just told him to go get some coffee. He hadn’t moved for almost two hours.’

Okay, so she had sobbed. She closed her eyes again. Felt the wet on her cheek and turned her head away, pressing deeper into the pillow. He wouldn’t be back. He didn’t want to be near her family—or any family.

‘Sophy?’

‘Should we get the doctor?’ Her mother’s voice rose.

‘No,’ Sophy croaked. ‘No. I’m okay.’ And with every word she spoke her voice grew stronger. ‘What happened?’

‘You were hit by a car. You ran straight out onto the road.’

‘Were you running away from something, Sophy? Someone?’ her father asked quietly, but she heard the tone, the condemnation, the conclusion.

She shook her head, wincing as it hurt. ‘Not what you think, Dad.’

‘I don’t know what to think, sweetheart.’

Carefully she opened her eyes, looked at her father. ‘Do you remember him?’

‘I remember all of them,’ her father said sombrely. ‘But some stick in your mind more than others.’

The tears welled again, stinging her eyeballs.

‘He was very angry back then. But he had a lot to be angry about.’

Sophy’s heart was breaking. She needed her father to know, to understand. ‘I love him, Dad.’

The sharp intake of breath was audible—but it didn’t come from either of her parents. Sophy turned her head. Lorenzo stood in the doorway.

‘You’re awake. Are you okay?’ The edge of panic was evident both in the speed of the question and the hesitancy as he hovered.

She licked her horribly dry lips.

‘Edward, let’s go get some fresh coffee.’ Her mother suddenly stood. ‘Come on. She can’t have too many people in here at once. She’ll get too tired.’

Sophy watched the two men looking at each other—saw some message she couldn’t interpret pass between them.

Lorenzo moved closer, where she could see him better. He was so pale.

‘Sophy.’ His voice broke. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘It was my fault. I should have been watching where I was going.’

He shook his head. ‘I shouldn’t have made you so upset. I never wanted to hurt you like this.’

The brush-off. Again. It was so embarrassing. Dully she admitted the truth. ‘I shouldn’t have pushed for something you never wanted to give.’

‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘But not about that. I’m scared—just like you said. A coward. You scare me to death—how you make me feel scares me.’ He moved quickly, sat in the seat near her head. ‘I don’t know that I can give you what you want from me.’

‘Lorenzo.’ She took in a deep breath. She’d take all there was—no matter how little. She loved him. She wanted him. She was happy when with him. She didn’t need all the bells and whistles. She just needed him. ‘All I want is whatever you have to give.’

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