(Danica)
I couldn’t pretend anymore.
Lying in the dark of my room with Caleb’s arms still wrapped around me, his steady heartbeat thumping against my back, I felt the weight of everything we’d been hiding finally pressing down. My ribs still ached from Kane’s hits, the bruises a constant, dull reminder of how close he had come to breaking me the same way he’d broken Lila. But the deeper ache lived in my chest — in the way Caleb’s hand rested protectively over my stomach, thumb stroking slow circles just above the worst of the bruising, like he could shield me from the world if he held on tight enough.
I turned carefully in his arms until we were facing each other. Moonlight cut through the blinds, painting silver stripes across his face. His grey eyes were open, watching me with that st
