I pass Everly a glass of water. Our hands brush when she takes it and she’s still trembling. More than anything, I want her to return to her sunny, smiling self.
“I only have water and beef jerky. Want some?”
A faint grin flits over her lips. “You were more than a gentleman back there. A dangerous gentleman. Thank you.”
I brace myself on the back of an armchair. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Tears fill her eyes.
“I’d like to know what’s going on. I heard what he said.”
My brother once told me there are three kinds of people in the world: wolves, sheep, and sheep dogs. The wolf, not to be confused with Connor Wolfe, is vicious and not to be trusted with sheep. The sheep will blindly walk into the wolf’s den. However, sheepdogs are there to protect them and will do so viciously, if necessary. Bran said we’re sheepdogs. I may not have joined the military, but I am here for Everly. Todd pushed me to the edge and the teeth came out.
“You heard everything before you Hulked out again?” She avoids looking at me. Is she ashamed? Embarrassed? Hurt?
“You didn’t do anything wrong.” My tone is as solid as rock.
“Didn’t I?” she asks in a small voice.
“I heard enough to be certain that there is nothing you could do to satisfy a guy like Todd. He’s a monster and only wants power over you.”
A sad sound of affirmation breaks loose and she presses her hands to her face.
It hollows me out seeing her so upset and thinking she did anything wrong.
I crouch down in front of her, gripping her hands. “Everly, please talk to me. Let me help you...” I hesitate before saying the next part, but seeing her small hands nestled in mine and wearing the ring draws them out. “I’m your husband.”
At that, the tears fall. Once again, she seeks refuge in my embrace. I bring her into my arms and hold her, keeping her safe while she cries.
I despise the idea that Todd caused her any amount of pain. I want to drain it all away, so she can be her energetic, carefree, tear-free, bubbly, dream girl self.
Time doesn’t matter as I keep her in the shelter of my embrace. But when she does stop crying, she says, “Now I have something to add to my thankful three of the day. You, you, and you.”
Me?
“I don’t know what sewer that guy crawled out of, but if he ever comes around again?—”
“Thank you,” she interrupts as if not wanting the details of what I’ll do to Todd’s face if he so much as looks at Everly again.
A beat passes, and I ask, “Where’d you find him?
She snorts. “Todd was the original marriage of convenience. Er, engagement of appeasement. When Todd expressed interest, my father, for the first time in years, paid attention to me. He strongly urged me to go through with it. Looking back, they arranged it all before Todd and I met at a dinner party, hosted by one of my father’s associates. It was a business merger with me in the middle.”
“I take it you didn’t bring along one of your tattooed biker boyfriends.”
She sniffles a chuckle. “No, this all happened well after that phase.”
“Did you love him?”
“Todd? No. He was toxic, ornery, demanding, and deceitful. T-o-d-d. I ran out on our wedding and I gave up on love, figuring it’s not going to happen. Coming here was my chance to start over. Funny, it led me back to you.”
Our eyes drift together, not sure where to land.
Everly bites her lip. “I got a second chance at life, but I’d never give Todd a second chance. I didn’t love him in the first place, but thought it could grow into love.” She lets out a breath, then adds, “What about you? Did you get hit by the unrequited love arrow or are you walking around with a wounded heart?”
“More like a cold heart.” I press my hand to my chest. “A lifeless lump.”
“Sounds like you’re describing a dead fish.”
