Page 68 of Forbidden Bond

“You’re not broken,” I say fiercely. “You’re just as strong as your sister. You experienced something traumatic; you were starved and terrified and yet you made sure to go back there. You saved her just as much as she saved you.”

She smiles softly. “You sound like my therapist.”

“Really? Must have been a good one.”

She laughs and a smile pulls on my lips. Sometimes I want to bottle up the sound of her laughter and carry it with me everywhere I go. It’s starting to dawn on me just how deep my feelings for her have become. But I don’t say that yet.

“I’m getting better, though,” she says, like she has something to prove. “Before, I couldn’t go on trains and I couldn’t be left alone in my own bedroom for too long. Mom had to sleep with me for months.” She laughs softly. “It was pretty rough the first couple of years.”

“I understand, princess,” I tell her, my thumb brushing across her cheek. “Please tell me the asshole’s dead.”

She shakes her head. “He was sentenced to twelve years for forced imprisonment, kidnapping, and attempted murder.”

“Twelve measly years?” I say dryly.

She shrugs. “He got the judge to be sympathetic, I guess. It also helped that he had no former convictions. He was a first-time offender. A normal guy, until his brother went to jail.”

My jaw clenches. Katherine reaches up to smooth it over.

“Hey, it’s okay. He’s locked up. He can’t hurt me anymore.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t that be my line?”

She grins, right before she yawns softly. “I’m just going to shut my eyes for a couple of seconds. Then you can tell me your story.”

Her head is on my chest and a couple of seconds turns into minutes and then she’s just fast asleep. Not that I blame her; after the events of the day I’d be exhausted as well. Except I don’t sleep easily, and I suspect I’ll be kept awake for a relatively long time.

I carry Katherine into my bedroom and place her on the bed. Her blonde hair fans out on the pillow, and my chest feels heavy as I take in her soft expression.

For the first time, I fully understand how Christian feels. The desire to protect things that belong to him. Something visceral and painful slashes across my chest at the thought of Katherine being hurt.

I realize that I made her mine without even realizing it. And it honestly feels like I’ve damned us both.

CHAPTER 21

Katie

My eyes fly open and immediately land on soft brown ones.

“Watching someone while they sleep is creepy, Toph,” I mutter, sitting up.

“You’re so pretty. I could watch you all the time,” he says sincerely.

I flush, my chest growing ridiculously warm. “What time is it?”

“Ten p.m. You were asleep for three hours,” he informs me.

It’s not surprising. I was emotionally drained and stressed. “I have to pee,” I mutter, needing to get away from the intense look in his eyes.

He nods. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”

He heads out of the room, giving me time enough time to pull myself together. When I step outside, he’s at the kitchen counter, pouring green liquid from the blender into two glasses. I make a face.

“Please tell me you don’t expect me to drink that,” I say.

“It’ll help calm you down. It’s my mom’s secret recipe,” he says with a wink.

He hands a glass to me and I gag. “Topher,” I cry, staring at the cup.

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