“Fae,” he growls, speaking over me as something flashes through his eyes. “Not now. Notfuckingnow.”
That flash of something, something dark, tortured, makes me nod.
I wasn’t going to do it.
But that light of utter anguish makes me agree. Like it pains him right now to be asked questions.
“Okay.”
He gives me a short nod and takes me to his Mustang, helping me gently inside despite his harsh demeanor.
I watch him from the corner of my eye as he drives.
I watch the tight lines of his shoulders, the way his jaw is ticking. The way it doesn’t even look like he’s in the car with me.
As if he’s somewhere far away in his thoughts.
As if he’s in a trance.
I don’t know what’s going on but whatever it is, it’s bad.
It’s worse than his daily battles at the office. It’s worse than him going into that place every day. Worse than anything I’ve seen in the past months.
I don’t know what to do.
I don’t know how to make it better, how to reach him right now.
All I know is that I’m not going to let it go on for long. I’m not going to let him suffer like this.
This time I have a plan and I’m going to make it happen.
I’m going to set the guy I love free.
The guy who’s just taken a turn and I realize that we’re not going home.
He isn’t taking us to the glass house in Wuthering Garden.
He’s taking us toourtown, Bardstown. And from the looks of it, he’s taking us back to the woods.
The woods where I first danced for him. Where he first kissed me.
Where I fell in love with him.
I’m not sure if it’s a conscious decision on his part, driving us back to this place from our past, but as soon as we arrive, my heart starts spinning in my chest.
My heart starts remembering.
I haven’t been in these woods in two years, not since the night he kissed me and told me to hold on to my dress, but I remember everything.
All those nights when he took me out here for a ride and I danced for him.
We’re back here and I’ve forgotten how to breathe.
I’ve forgotten everything except him.
Except how to love him, how to adore him, how to be his.
In jerky movements, Reed climbs out of the car and walks around to help me. Again, despite all the turmoil in him, he’s gentle. He’s oh so careful as he helps me out of his Mustang but that’s it.
