“All right,” he soothes. “It’s all right.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, pressing closer to him.
“Never thank me for taking care of you,” he says, but there’s no bite to the admonishment. “It’s my job to protect you. I won’t allow anyone to harm you ever again.”
I think about Stephen Lansing.
Don’t watch, Abigail. Close your eyes for me. I’ll take care of this. I’ll take care of you.
Dane’s form of caretaking can be lethal, but I barely experience a twinge of disquiet over his murderous capabilities.
“I don’t want you to kill for me,” I say softly.
He tenses slightly, but his fingers remain gentle in my hair. “I will do what’s necessary to keep you safe.”
“I know.” I have complete faith in him.
“If you think that you’re somehow responsible for my actions, you’re mistaken,” he declares. “Stephen is dead because he was a fucking rapist. You bear no responsibility.”
I turn into Dane so that I can meet his fierce gaze. “At first, I felt like he was dead because of me, but I can see now that I was wrong. I’ve already accepted that he faced the consequences of his own actions, and that’s not my fault.”
I try to brush away the furrow in Dane’s brow.
“If you’re asking me not to kill out of some sense of morality, that argument won’t sway me. You should know by now that I don’t possess a moral compass, and I feel nothing but satisfaction when I think about the fact that Stephen paid for what he did to you. My only regret is that he should’ve suffered so much more.”
He breathes a soft curse, and his body relaxes around mine. “I’m scaring you. I’m sorry, little dove. I don’t want that.”
“I’m not scared,” I reassure him. “The only thing that scares me is the prospect of being separated from you. I can’t bear it if you go to jail. No more killing, Dane.”
He shakes his head. “I won’t make that promise. I can’t. Not if you’re in danger.”
I blow out a sigh, exhaustion sapping my bones. In the wake of my nightmare, I don’t have the energy to continue with this argument.
He presses a kiss to my forehead. “No one will separate us,” he vows. “No one will take you from me.”
I lean into him and allow my heavy eyelids to droop. His scent enfolds me, more comforting than the softest blanket. The hands that are holding me so tenderly are capable of brutal violence, but they will never touch me with anything but reverence.
With that reassuring thought, my body finally relaxes, and I drift into a deep, dreamless sleep.
60
ABIGAIL
“Abby! You’re back!” Franklin hugs me in a quick but warm embrace. My friend has always been respectful of my physical boundaries—it’s one of the reasons I’m so grateful to have him in my life.
He steps into my shabby little apartment with the ease of familiarity, and I welcome him in with a broad smile. Stacy is right behind him, bottle of red wine in hand.
I’ve only been back in Charleston for a few hours, but my friends have already descended on my apartment to welcome me home. In the warmth of their presence, the lingering chill from my nightmare in York yesterday fades away completely.
“You were gone for ages.” Stacy pouts her berry-painted lips and pulls me into a hug too. “The café isn’t the same without you. Don’t get me wrong,” she says quickly. “I’m not trying to guilt you into coming back. I’m so happy that you’re going to pursue your art fulltime.”
“Do you have an English accent now?” Franklin teases before I can respond. “I bet you sound more like your hot boyfriend than a Carolina girl.”
I scoff. “I was only away for a few weeks.”
Stacy blows out a dreamy sigh. “I wish I could go on vacation to Europe with a sexy man for weeks. You’re living the dream, girl.”
I wave her off, but before I can say something dismissive, Franklin grabs my left hand with a gasp.
