“We all know you’ve been hiding stuff. The shaking, the nightmares— “
“How the hell do you know about those?”
He smiles sadly. “You had them when you stayed with Jameson and I that summer. We used to take turns sitting in the hallway at night. We know it didn’t help, but we figured if you ever came out of that room and wanted to talk about them, well, we just wanted to be there for you.”
“You and Jameson can be a real pain in my ass, you know that?” I roll my eyes and pace in a small line.
“We love you, Lily. All of us. Dresden, Vlad, Hayato, Sammi. They love you too. We know you love us too, even if you never say it. So, I just want you to know that whatever it is you’re hiding, you can tell us. We’re your family, woman. Doesn’t matter what hell you’re stuck in inside that head of yours, we’ll help get you out.”
I stop moving and stare at him, tears burning in my eyes. Rhett goes to walk past me, and gently reaches out, touching my shoulder before heading out of the training room.
I appreciate that man more than he knows.
After’s he gone, I sit on the weight bench, and run through tonight's events again.
In the end, my feelings won't matter. Blake is attractive and sweet, but there's no future with him. His touch may not send me into a full-blown seizure, but I'm no less broken. No man wants a shattered woman, and that's all I can give him.
The training room door clicks open. Sammi stands just inside with her arms behind her back. The softness in her eyes is back, and I smile weakly. All this time, I thought only Jax knew, but here she is keeping my secrets too.
"Can we talk?" She walks toward me.
I nod as she stops in front of me and sinks to the floor. I gaze down at her, my insides twisting and pulling, a lump forming in my throat.
"There's a lot of information missing from your files. You know I won't say anything, but I need to know the truth."
"Sammi . . . I can't . . . I've never— "
"Lily, I know it's hard, but please, just answer a few questions, and I promise I'll never bring it up again."
“You can’t just pull a Rhett and not ask me shit?”
She chuckles. “I’m not Rhett, and he’s too nice for his own good, especially with you. Just a few questions, Lily, I promise.”
"Okay."
She slides closer, picking at her nail polish. "How long had you been in when Jax found you?"
I run my hands over my face. "Nine years."
"Dear god," she whispers. I lift my head and meet her gaze. "Why would you agree to do this?"
I smile sardonically. "Revenge."
"How's that working for you?"
"It was working just fine. Until . . . "
"Until, what?"
"Until this case," I whisper.
"Mason." A small smile plays on her lips.
I shrug. "I've never felt the way I do when he's around."
"How do you feel?"
"I don't know. Being around him tonight, I was calm until all hell broke loose. That may have been the alcohol though."