Entering the room, his heart started to pound when he saw she was crying. She tried to hide it, wiping the tears away, and he closed the door. “I thought you would like some food,” he said.
“Is all of this true?”
“It’s the official file. Mom tried to find you for well over a year. She never gave up on you.”
He put the food down on the small table, and moved it by her. “Are you going to try to kill me?”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she said. “I know what I remember, but he was so hurt, and he was dying in my arms.”
“Lionel?”
“Yeah. They hadn’t killed him yet. He was still alive enough to talk.” She released a little sob. “I hate this.”
He took a seat, and turned toward her. Never had he wanted to comfort someone. To him, comfort was something that was a luxury.
Reaching out, he placed a hand on her shoulder.
She whimpered, and he removed his hand.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
He pulled her toward him, and pulled the strap of her dress down to see the damage to her back. The bruises had been covered by her dress, and he’d revealed it.
“Who did this?”
“I’ve been training. I did this.”
“You train against men?”
“Of course. I couldn’t train against women when my mission was to take out all of the Denton men.”
“Was?”
“I don’t know what to do anymore.” She covered her face, sniffling as she did. “All I’ve ever known is revenge, and that is all I ever wanted. What I thought Lionel would want.”
“Why don’t you talk with Jacob? He knew Lionel the best.”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you remember Landon? Irritating boy, got an issue with his temper?”
“Yeah, I remember him. He’s younger than me.”
“I know, honey.”
He took her hand and linked their fingers together. The feeling was amazing just by being near her. Closing his eyes, he basked in the touch of her, loving every second of it.
“What are you doing?” she asked, pulling her hand away. “That’s kind of creepy.”
“Sorry.” He sat beside her and wondered what the hell he was he was supposed to say. “I got you some food.”
The sound of her stomach growling filled the room.
“No, thank you.”
“You’ve got to eat, and I won’t see it as a weakness.”