But the bigger part of me wants to tear that mechanism out of his hands and make him reveal his pain to the light. To me.
That’s the only way anyone can ever heal.
“Tell me their name,” I say softly. I sidle a little closer to him.
“I’ve lost too many people to name,” he rumbles.
“That’s a cop-out and you know it.”
“It’s all I’m giving you.”
I sigh tiredly and stare out at the ocean for a while. This man is so f*****g frustrating. My hair flutters in the wind, long dark ribbons tossed across my face.
“What are you thinking about?” he asks after a minute has passed.
“Just wondering if things would have been different if my brother were here.”
“Meaning what—he could have saved you from me?” he practically snarls.
I don’t cringe back from the venom in his words the way he thought I
