She swallowed heavily. “I guess it started with my father, trying to appease him when he was off on one of his rants. And then it continued with Fergus.”
North nodded. “Well, I want you to stop it.”
“I don’t know if I can just stop,” she said.
“Try.”
She sucked in a breath. “Try? That’s your best advice? I should just try?”
“Yes. Try. And succeed. Now, tell me what is actually wrong. Why do you keep looking at me?”
She licked her lips, looking nervous. “It doesn’t matter.”
He sighed. This was his own fault. He knew he was unapproachable. It was something he deliberately did to keep people at bay. But if he wanted her to confide in him, he needed to find a way to get her to feel less scared of him.
“What happened to the girl who told me that I had hippo breath?”
Amusement lit up her face and her shoulders dropped. “I’m surprised you didn’t kill me.”
“I thought of it,” he replied. “You obviously have something to say. What is it?”
“I slept in Jared’s bed last night,” she blurted out.
“I know. I saw you guys when I got home.”
“You did? Was that late?”
“Not that late. You were still awake. You were telling him how you got those scars on your back.”
“You . . . you heard that?” she asked quietly, her shoulders hunching.
“Yes. I did. What’s wrong?”
“I just . . . you didn’t come in? To the bed? Is it because I was there? Or because of the scars?”
“Why would that be the reason? You think I don’t have scars? I have plenty.”
“These are ugly. Horrible. You heard how I got them?” she whispered.
He had to work hard not to clench his hands into fists. “Yes. That fucking bastard.”
There were no words to describe how much he hated Fergus Bartolli.
“Jared . . . he didn’t ask to see them.”
“Are you worried he thinks they’re ugly?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“He doesn’t. We both saw them the other day after your nightmare.”
“You . . . you did? Neither of you said anything!”
He shrugged. “I guess we were waiting for you to say something to us.”
“Oh. So why didn’t you come into bed with us? Because I was there? The other time we were in Jared’s bed you were gone before I woke up. Did you sleep with us the whole night or did I scare you off? I’m so sorry?—”
“I don’t sleep with Jared,” he told her.
