Imprisoned…
“What happened?”
We breathe in silence. Two breaths. Three. Five.
I look up. Our faces are only inches apart and I can see the deep agony in his.
“I don’t want to tell you.”
“Why not?”
His thumb traces my bottom lip. “Because I don’t want you to hate me.”
“It’s a little late for that,” I mumble.
He goes deathly still and I huff a half laugh.
“I’m kidding.”
It’s his turn to melt, his whole body collapsing around me. He presses our foreheads together and pinches his eyes shut.
“Tell me what happened to you, and I’ll tell you what I did.”
sixteen
Demons of the Past
Isuppose it’s only fair. He asked first and I deflected. He knew I needed the distraction and provided one. But now he needs answers, and I’m the only one who can give them. Am I ready to trust this demon with my darkest secrets? No…but a glimpse, I think he’s earned.
“I had a panic attack. I don’t always know what’s going to trigger them, but I think this time it was just being so exposed in a room full of strangers. Being so helpless when I’ve always been strong.”
He cradles the back of my neck and crushes our heads together so gently. His brow is wrinkled in worry. I want to smooth it away.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers.
“You couldn’t have known that would happen. I didn’t know until it was happening.”
He relaxes his hold on me. “I felt this from you before, when you called me. But when you cried, it stopped.”
“Can you feel my emotions?”
He nods.
“All of them?”
He nods again.
Well, that would explain some things.
“Tell me what happened to you,” I say, diverting.
He heaves a deep sigh that feels like surrender.
“I used to kill for money.”
He pauses. I think he’s expecting me to react, throw him off me, but I don’t do anything. I just keep watching him. His coal-like eyes snap open and he looks into mine. I don’t hide from his stare.
“That doesn’t scare me,” I say.
