The slow, deep breath didn’t help to diminish the anxiety rushing through her veins like a raging river crashing against the shoreline. She’d like to say it was just another day.
Today was anything but normal. Today would either fill her up with intense joy, or bring her down to the lowest pits of hell. Throwing her phone, lip gloss, and keys in her purse, she took another scanning glance at her desk as one more shaky breath escaped.
The present.
She couldn’t forget that.
Opening the top drawer, she yanked out the small gift bag hidden in the back and tossed it into her purse as well.
She had no idea why she hid it. It wasn’t as if Emmett went digging through her desk. He knew better. She’d likely bite his head off for doing such a thing.
So why did she hide it?
Pretending today wasn’t finally here, maybe.
She jumped as a roll of thunder echoed in the distance. Today, of all days, it had to storm. It was a sign. A bad sign. Today wasn’t going to be a happy, joyous day as she planned.
“Hey, Deja.”
Jumping again, this time almost falling backwards, she shivered at Emmett’s warm touch as he grabbed her arm, preventing her from falling.
“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you.” He smiled. The sweet one she wished she didn’t like.
“I’m fine. I’m running late, and I don’t want to be late.” She gently shrugged his hand off.
She couldn’t stand it when he touched her. Not that he touched her often. But on rare occasions like this, when he did, his touch did things to her that were best not to think about. Those emotions needed to stay locked away. She didn’t deserve a good man like Emmett. She didn’t deserve to feel the aching need that rushed through her body.
“You work too much. I told you to take the entire day off. I have no idea why you came in today.”
She rolled her eyes. “Because I didn’t need the whole day off. Just the afternoon. Honestly, what would you do without me running the office? You’d be lost without me.” She grinned as she threw the strap of her purse over her shoulder.
His eyes sparkled with what she swore was heated desire. “I would be lost without you.” He cleared his throat as the desire melted away. Or maybe she just imagined it. “Where are you going?”
“I have an appointment.” She averted her eyes, unwilling to share anything else.
He might think she was the best secretary he ever had to run his business as smoothly as possible, but if he really knew her, he wouldn’t like her. Most likely, he’d fire her without blinking an eye.
“Gotta run, E-man. See you tomorrow.” Walking around him as quickly as possible before he could say anything else, she prayed she wouldn’t be late.
“Have a great day, Deja.”
Her hand rested on the handle of the door. She turned around to look at him. He had that sweet smile back on his face. She wished he’d stop looking at her like that.
“You, too, E-man.” She ran out of the building and ducked into her car before the rain decided to appear. Bursts of thunder still pounded in the distance. A nasty storm was headed their way.
How bad would the storm be when she arrived at her destination? Would he be happy to see her? Would he ignore her as he had the past ten years? Would he like the gift she bought him?
Well, she’d find out soon enough.
Turning out of the parking lot, more thunder rolled in the distance.
Yep, the storm was making its way with a vengeance. A very bad sign.
“He’ll be happy to see me. He will.” Or not.
No amount of pep talk would change the fact her brother didn’t want to see her. He ignored her the past ten years while sitting behind bars.
Well, tough. He was her brother. He was finally free. She’d welcome him with open arms, whether he liked it or not.
Lightning flashed before her eyes, thunder crashing alongside it. She wished she could consider this the eye of the storm. It wasn’t.
Seeing her brother again would be the eye. The real test of her strength. She loved him. No matter what.
He killed their parents. But she still loved him.
♡
“You slept with Brad, didn’t you? He said you did.” Chelsea cackled as she rolled her eyes.
At least, it sounded like a cackle. An evil laugh that said she was about to decimate Deja into a tiny million pieces. Chelsea was such a snob. She couldn’t stand her.
Deja grabbed her backpack from the floor and slung it onto her back. Chelsea stepped in front of her when she tried to walk away. Why did she think coming to the mall was a good idea? On a Friday night, she knew half the school would be here. Maybe she was a glutton for punishment.
“What, cat got your tongue? Who's next on your list? Gonna sleep with the entire class?” Chelsea laughed, glancing at the other three girls behind her, who laughed in unison.
Deja squared her shoulders, refusing to let these bitches get to her. “You’re just jealous Brad wanted to go out with me and not you. Get over yourself, Chelsea.”
Deja walked around Chelsea, ignoring the continued teasing they were dishing out. It didn’t matter. None of what they said mattered. She didn’t sleep with Brad the Ass. That’s exactly what he was—an ass. No more Brad Bear, just a complete asshole.
She wasn’t ready for sex. When she told him that, he dumped her and immediately started to spread she slept with him—and wasn’t very good either. It was one thing to brag she had sex with him, but the asshole had to say she wasn’t good.
Wiping a tear from her cheek, she steeled her shoulders. She wouldn’t cry. None of them mattered.
Brad better watch out. One little word to her brother, Dare, and he’d be a dead man. Dare didn’t tolerate anyone messing with her. It’d serve him right if she did.
Deja took her time walking home, grateful the mall was less than a mile away. Enough time for her to get her emotions in check, but short enough that she wouldn’t be exhausted by the time she got home.
Why did she go to the dumb mall?
Maybe she had hoped they wouldn’t tease her. That they’d know Brad was a liar. Of course, she shouldn’t be surprised. She never got along with Chelsea, especially after she started to date Brad. With Chelsea fueling the rumor she slept with him, everyone now believed it.
One more year.
One more year, then she’d be sixteen and she could get her license and disappear. Drive far, far away from all these stupid people. She hated them all.
Swiping another lone tear away, she sucked in a deep breath as she climbed the porch steps. The house was dark.
Strange.
Her parents never mentioned going out tonight. Her brother liked to party on Friday nights, but he normally didn’t leave until later. Where was everybody?
She turned on the living room lights, then tossed on each light as she walked to the kitchen. For some reason, the dark was giving her the heebie jeebies.
A roll of thunder echoed in the distance.
Well, at least the night was kind in that regard. She didn’t have to walk in the rain. After dealing with Chelsea’s cruelness that would’ve been too much. The ground had been wet, telling her it rained before she left the mall. She could only thank her lucky stars it stopped when she decided to leave. Apparently it was gearing for another round.
She looked at the clock on the microwave.
8:10 P.M.
Where were her parents and brother?
She opened the fridge and grabbed a pop, gulping half of it before heading to the pantry for a snack. She’d eat her misery away. At least for a little while. Then she’d scour her closet for the best damn outfit she owned and show Chelsea, Brad, and all the other jerks who liked to tease her exactly who they were messing with.
They could call her a slut. They could tease her up and down until they turned blue. But no one would make her feel useless and pitiful. She was stronger than that. She’d put on her armor and show everyone she wasn’t fazed by their words. They couldn’t hurt her.
A knock sounded on the door.
She tossed the bag of chips she grabbed from the pantry onto the counter. Opening the door, her heart nearly fell out of her chest.
Two officers stood on her porch step wearing solemn expressions that didn’t bode well for her.
“Deja Wilson?” the officer with pitch-black hair asked, a frown molded permanently on his face.
Nodding, unable to form words, she almost slammed the door in their faces. She didn’t want to hear what they had to say.
“Is anyone else here with you?” the other officer with bright blonde hair, making her think he bleached it recently, asked. His softer expression displayed too much sympathy.
Why did they both look at her so forlorn?
“No. My parents aren’t home. Neither is my brother. I don’t know where they went. What’s going on?”
The officer with the blonde hair twisted his hands, then suddenly dropped them to his sides. “We have some terrible news.”
♡
“Oh, shit!” Deja swerved her car to the right. Her heart pounded as her body jerked roughly against the seatbelt, then her head snapped painfully as the car lurched into the ditch.
The deer came out of nowhere, but she couldn’t blame the dumb animal. Her mind had wandered, thinking about the day her life changed forever. Changed to loneliness and despair for the longest time.
Until she met Sophie.
“Oh, Soph, shit! I’m so sorry.” Deja rested her head on the steering wheel as she thought about how she’d tell Sophie she just crashed her car.
Saving money was a daily struggle. Since Emmett hired her, she had been making decent money, but it still took time to save up. It had been only nine months since she met Sophie. The first person in her life to ever look the other way and help her instead of blaming her. Berating her. Teasing her. Mocking her. Using her.
She refused to be treated like a charity case. She almost had enough money to buy her own vehicle. Now, she’d have to use all her savings to fix Sophie’s car.
Normally she walked to work, considering the office was only two miles away from the house. It was a long walk, but she enjoyed the fresh air and the energy boost the jaunt gave her. On occasion, she got a ride from Sophie. Rarely did she borrow her car. Today was important. Sophie never asked why she needed to borrow her car. She just handed the keys over with a friendly smile. She never asked questions about Deja’s background. Just as Deja respected her privacy.
Two wounded souls.
That’s what Sophie called them when they first met. She had been trying to break into Sophie’s shed, hoping to find something good she could sell for money. Hunger did things to people. She still felt sick and shameful about her actions. The lowest of the lowest she ever acted.
Instead of calling the cops, something that should’ve happened, Sophie offered refuge. Help. A bit of friendliness that no other person on the planet ever offered her.
She hadn’t been worthy of Sophie’s kindness. Especially when a few days before she tried to break into the shed, she had broken into her neighbor’s house and stolen two hundred bucks.
The house of Austin McCord, Emmett’s cousin.
She still couldn’t believe how that family could accept her with open arms and forgive her. Austin didn’t turn her into the cops. He let her pay him back every cent she took and the amount it cost to fix the window she broke.
All because of Sophie. Her savior.
Now she just ruined her car. She was a horrible friend.
Turning to reach for her purse, she cried out in pain. Her head hurt. A massive headache was already forming. She had insurance, grateful, yet again, to Emmett’s kindness and offering her a job when he did. But she didn’t have time to go to the hospital. She needed to pick up her brother.
Ignoring the ache, she grabbed the phone from her purse and started to search for a cab. Not exactly how she wanted to greet her brother, but it’d have to do.
As soon as she got her brother settled, she’d call a tow company and take care of Sophie’s car. Nothing she could do about it now.
A tap on her window had her dropping the phone in her lap.
Shit! The police.
“Ma’am, are you alright?” the officer asked, as he motioned for her to roll down the window.
She didn’t even try turning the car back on. Would it even start? How bad did she ruin the car? Would Sophie be upset? Probably not. Sophie was an angel. Austin even called her his pixie angel.
Austin and Sophie’s wedding was only two months away. Sophie asked her to be her maid of honor. She wasn’t worthy of such an honor.
“Ma’am? Do you need medical attention?”
What she needed was a magic wand to erase all the bad from her life. Or to disappear. Running away from everything sounded like a lovely idea.
Instead, she shook her head, ignoring the ache, and opened her door. She didn’t even try to start the car. She knew deep in the pit of her stomach it wouldn’t start. If it wouldn’t start, she couldn’t roll down the window. Here’s to hoping the officer understood that predicament as she stepped out of the vehicle. “I’m fine, Officer. A deer jumped in front of me. I tried not to hit it.”
The officer glanced around the road, then nodded. “Doesn’t look like you did. Hit the ditch hard, though. Gonna need a tow truck. Are you sure you’re okay? The front end is pretty banged up. Doesn’t look like your airbag went off.”
Deja smiled, hoping to give off reassurance. “I’m fine.”
“Well, let me help you call a tow truck. Can I see your license, registration, and insurance card?” He smiled back. A friendly smile. Not one that indicated trouble.
She still felt like she was in so much trouble. Dealing with cops never put her at ease. They never had. Not since the day two cops turned her world upside down.
This officer wasn’t so bad. In fact, he was downright amazing. Regardless, she went through the motions with him, barely containing her edginess. She would be late. No doubt about it now.
Thirty minutes later, the officer had written a report for her accident, called a tow truck, and waited until her cab arrived. He shyly smiled at her before she hopped into the cab. That made her jump in even quicker. She knew what that smile meant. Only when a man wanted to ask her out did they exhibit that kind of smile.
She didn’t need a man in her life right now.
He was the wrong one, anyway.
Only one man had a chance…
Nope. She wouldn’t even think about it.
She was late. That’s what mattered. The last thing she wanted to do today was be late. Would her brother still be there?
Only one way to find out. She rattled off the address to the St. Cloud Prison to the cab driver, and twenty minutes later, they arrived.
The parking lot wasn’t full of cars or people. It helped her to see everything so clearly.
“Wait here, please.” Deja hopped out of the cab and started to run. “Dare, stop.”
Walking toward the road, head hanging down, was her brother. He turned around, eyed her warily and dismissed her with one simple glance.
Deja ran faster. Grabbing a hold of his arm, she turned him around. “Where are you going? I’m sorry I was late.”
Dare’s face was impassive. No expression whatsoever. “Go home, Deja.”
“My home is your home. I came here to pick you up.”
“Just forget about me.” Dare shrugged her hand off and continued to walk.
Oh, hell, no. He wasn’t about to walk away from her.
Deja caught up to him again and quickly stepped in front of him. “You can’t just walk away from me. What’s wrong with you? You’ve shut me out for the past ten years. I thought it was because you didn’t want me to see you behind bars. Why can’t I get a hug? Or a simple hello? Why are you treating me like I don’t matter?”
He frowned, a flicker of emotion, maybe regret, shined within his eyes. “I didn’t want to see you then and I don’t want to see you now. Go home.”
“Tough. You’re my brother and I’m here for you. Quit pushing me away.”
His face became hard as stone as he leaned closer. “Don’t make me hurt you, Deja. You know what I’m capable of. Leave me the hell alone.”
Deja stood frozen at those words as he walked around her, shell-shocked, she let him. He couldn’t possibly mean that. He was the only family she had left.
“Dare…it was an accident.”
“Goddamnit, Deja!” He whipped around. “The hell it was. You know what it was. I killed our parents. Murdered them. That’s what I am. A murderer.”
She stood in silence as he walked away, yet again. Tears rolled down as the first raindrop finally fell.
The storm had arrived. Worse than she imagined.
The anguish. The hurt. Her brother needed her. She needed him. Why couldn’t he see that?
A murderer? She could never see her brother as a murderer.
♡
Emmett locked the door for the evening, his chest heaving with a slight pain he wasn’t familiar with. He knew why the pain was there. It just normally never happened. If he didn’t know why, he’d think he was having a heart attack. But no. The answer was pretty simple.
Deja.
She always locked the office at night. He never had a need to come to the office after working hard during the day. He did anyway. To see her. Like a pathetic lovesick boy.
He was her boss. That’s it. She’d never see him as more. Well, that’s not true. She probably saw him as a friend as well. She was best friends with Sophie, his cousin Austin’s fiancé. He tended to hang out with Austin. A lot. He was pretty sure Austin knew the reason why. He wanted to see more of Deja.
She was too good for him. Too beautiful. Too amazing.
Yet, she never saw him as anything other than her boss. A simple friend.
Since the beginning, shortly after they met, she had dubbed him with the ridiculous nickname E-man. It popped out of her mouth and she had yet to change back and call him Emmett.
Did she want to distance herself from him? Was it a good sign? Like a pet name? He couldn’t decide. What he did want was for her to call him Emmett. He enjoyed the way his name rolled off her tongue. The rare times she actually used it, that is.
Probably best she didn’t call him that. He needed to keep it professional with her. Right before he offered her a job, her manager at her last job had grabbed her ass without permission. He fired her after she slapped him. Of course, once Ava found out, his cousin Zane’s wife, she had Deja’s manager arrested for sexual assault.
Deja still had no job. She didn’t want to work there anymore, even after the owner of the diner said she could.
She had stolen from Austin. Broke into his home. But she proved to him and the rest of the family she was remorseful for her actions. He wanted to help her. He also needed a damn good secretary to help him run his business. Offering her a job had seemed like the easiest solution.
At first, she declined. He couldn’t understand it.
Maybe it had been the way he offered the job, scrambling his words up and sounding like an idiot. I need a secretary. I won’t grab your ass without permission.
Yeah, what a great way to ease a woman’s worry about working for a man.
Eventually, she accepted. He couldn’t have been happier. One, because he couldn’t get enough of seeing her gorgeous face. Two, because she was the best damn secretary on the planet.
He owned a landscaping company. He loved working with his hands. Hell, even digging in the dirt, taking a bit of ugliness and turning it into something beautiful always made him feel great.
Which made his business sense slack. A lot. He forgot the simplest things, like where he jotted down a client’s number. He never filed anything and his inventory wasn’t always kept up to date, needing to scramble at the last minute to order something for a client.
Then Deja stepped in.
She had taken one look at his office, cringed with disgust, and looked at him. “E-man, once I clean this sty up, I’ll bash you over the head with my tire iron if you don’t keep this shit clean.”
And he had. He didn’t doubt her for one second. While he knew she was just saying it to get her point across, knowing she’d never hurt him, she had a hardness about her that he didn’t doubt she could get lethal.
She also had a lingering pain. Not that she displayed it too often. Today was an exception. Her eyes bled with suffering. He wanted to know why. Burned with agony to know.
She dodged him like she always does when he tried to get a little personal. She rarely shared much about herself. He wanted to know it all.
Emmett parked his car in front of Austin’s house and got out before he changed his mind. He had no reason to stop by for a visit. Hopefully a good excuse came to him by the time he knocked on the door. Would talking about the weather and the nasty storm they had earlier be a dumb reason? Probably.
The lights were on in the house next to Austin’s—Sophie’s house. About two months ago, Sophie finally caved in and moved in with Austin. She enjoyed her freedom. Her space. Austin basically lived with Sophie in her house, sleeping over almost every night. It didn’t seem practical to live out of both houses. The most logical reason of all, they were getting married. They had a choice to make. Whose house did they live in?
Austin had a mortgage. Sophie’s house was paid off. Her father left it to her when he died. The wonderful friend that Sophie was, she told Deja she could keep living there. Deja insisted on paying her rent. Emmett respected her for that. He knew Sophie didn’t want her money. Deja wanted to know she could make it on her own. Paying rent said she could.
Damn, he wanted to know her every little secret. Would she ever share with him?
He knocked on the door. A few seconds later, it opened to the sweetest smile he always loved seeing. “My favorite girl. I missed you. How are you?” He stepped inside and pulled Sophie into a hug.
She chuckled as she squeezed him tightly. “You saw me yesterday. How could you miss me that much?”
He laughed when he caught Austin’s glare. “Not flirting. I swear.”
“Better not be. I’d kick your ass.” Austin stood up from the couch and grinned at Sophie. “Sorry, my pixie angel, I didn’t mean to swear.”
“Of course you didn’t.” Sophie closed the door. “Did you eat yet, Emmett? I can heat you up some dinner.”
Emmett shook his head. “I’m good. I’m not too hungry, unless you have pie.”
“Actually, I do.” She smiled, a bit deviously. “It’s for Deja, though. It’s cooling down. Could you be a doll and bring it to her?”
“Uh…” Emmett watched as Sophie walked away before he could properly answer. He turned to Austin. “Am I that obvious?”
Austin walked around the couch laughing like a jackal. “That you like Deja like there’s no tomorrow? Hell, yes.”
Emmett groaned. “Do you think Deja knows? I’m trying to keep it professional. I’m her boss. Not to mention, she never looks at me like I want her to. She’s a woman that is very unattainable.”
“You’re an idiot, Emmett. She’s not unattainable. She just has secrets that are holding her back. Did she call you?”
“No. Why?” Emmett didn’t like the frown that crossed over Austin’s face. “Did something happen?”
Austin nodded. “She almost hit a deer. Sophie’s car might be totaled. She hit the ditch pretty hard and the front is banged up. We’ll know more tomorrow.”
Emmett’s heart plummeted to the floor. He forced himself to slow his breathing down and not rush across the yard to Deja’s house. “Is she okay? Did she get hurt?”
“She said she’s fine and—”
“It sounds like you don’t know for sure. Does she need to go to the hospital? What happe—”
Emmett turned as a soft hand touched his shoulder. Sophie smiled warmly. “She’s okay, Emmett. Calm down.” She held out a pie. “Go see for yourself. You know how tough Deja acts. If she says she’s fine, she is. It doesn’t mean she couldn’t use a friend to keep her company.”
He nodded and took the pie from her. “Apple pie. It smells delicious, Soph.” He started for the front door. A soft chuckle rumbled behind him. He glanced at Austin. “Something funny?”
Austin joined Sophie and wrapped his arm around her. “Just curious about the reason for your visit. Did you have one?”
“I can’t say hi to my cousin and his beautiful fiancé? Is that a crime?” Emmett refused to let the embarrassment show that he was so transparent when it came to Deja. Yet, he could feel the heat rising from his neck to his cheeks. Blushing, over a damn woman. Well, there was a first time for everything. Never in his life had he blushed over a woman. Until now.
Austin laughed. “If you say so, buddy.”
Ignoring Austin and his aggravating laugh, he walked out of the house. He hadn’t been teased about a woman since the ninth grade when he wanted to ask Julie Callohoun to the homecoming dance. She had been a senior, way out of his league, but so damn beautiful and popular he couldn’t help but want to take her to the dance. He lost his chance when he took too long to ask her. Brett Johnson, the star quarterback, also a senior, beat him to it. He probably wouldn’t have had a chance in the world if he would’ve asked her out.
He probably didn’t have a chance in the world if he asked out Deja. Way too unattainable.
“Keep your cool. Don’t freak out. Austin and Sophie said she’s fine.” Emmett blew out a deep breath and knocked once on the door.
A few seconds later, Deja opened the door. Her beauty, as always, nearly knocked him on his ass. Her blonde hair lay beautifully in soft waves, yet almost appeared bedraggled. Not nearly as perfect when he saw her earlier. She looked okay. On the outside.
But her eyes.
Her gorgeous blue eyes, that always sparkled like the deep blue sea, shined with agony. It’s as if she wasn’t even trying to hide it from him.
“Hi, E-man. Why do you have pie?”
He lifted it with a smile. “Sophie asked me to deliver it to you. I’m hoping I get a piece.”
She laughed and rolled her eyes, the sound lifting his spirits. “Of course you do. Come in.”
Holding the door open a little wider, he stepped inside and turned around as she closed the door. “You’re not gonna make me beg for a piece?”
“I should.” She tried to smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’re a great boss, though. You can have a small piece. Small. Sophie did make the pie for me.” She pointed at him, as if she was trying to exert her meanness. All he could see was her pain.
Who caused it? What happened today besides the accident?
He followed her to the kitchen and set the pie on the counter. Deja grabbed two plates from the cupboard and snatched two forks and a knife from the drawer near the refrigerator.
She started to cut two pieces of pie. One slice was large, while the other, tiny. As much as he loved Sophie’s pie, he wasn’t in the mood for even a tiny piece. He didn’t care what piece Deja was planning to give him. That said enough. The worry was swimming through his veins.
“Are you okay?”
She glanced at him. The knife froze in her hand. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Austin said you almost hit a deer. Are you sure you’re not hurt? The car hit the ditch.” Emmett wanted to wrap her in his arms. Her facial expression didn’t bode well that she’d be receptive to that kind of gesture. So he didn’t move a muscle.
“I’m fine. Not a scratch on me.” She handed him a plate, the large piece of pie on it.
He followed her to the table and took a seat across from her. “Doesn’t mean you didn’t get hurt.”
Her knuckles turned white, as if she were exerting too much pressure holding the fork. “I said I was fine, E-man.”
“How did your appointment go? Did you hit the deer before or after? I hope you weren’t late.”
His hand paused, the fork dangling in front of his mouth as her face became ashy-white. Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes. He had never seen her look so vulnerable. “Deja…what did I say? What—”
“I didn’t hit the deer.” Her face became hard as the water in her eyes disappeared.
“You’re avoiding my original question. Does that mean your appointment didn’t go well? Where did you go?”
She stood up so fast from the table she knocked her chair over. “I think it’s time you leave, E-man. I don’t want to talk about it. I won’t be put on an interrogation.” She grabbed her plate, her pie barely touched, and tossed it into the sink.
Standing up, not one bite of his pie consumed, he couldn’t make his feet work. He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to pull her into his arms and soothe her torment away. Why did she almost cry? Never, not once, had he ever seen tears in her eyes.
“It’s okay to talk sometimes. It’s okay to let someone else in. You don’t have to be strong and tough all the time, Deja. We’re friends. I’m here for you. For anything. I wasn’t interrogating you. I was trying to be your friend. You have no idea how much I want to pull you into my arms and hug you. You look like you need a hug so badly.” He sighed, knowing that was probably the dumbest thing he ever said to her. “I know you’re not gonna budge, though, and more than likely, find that trusty tire iron of yours. So I’ll leave. See you tomorrow.”
He walked out of the kitchen before he went against his word and yanked her into his arms anyway. He had talked to her back the entire time. She was effectively shielding herself from him, not even letting him read her eyes. Did she know how well he could read her? How well he could see the pain she tried so hard to conceal?
He grabbed the door handle.
“Emmett…”
His body froze as his name rolled off her tongue with such delicate softness. She hadn’t uttered his real name in months. He wanted to hear it again.
“I could really use that hug.”