I didn’t deserve it.
And I certainly didn’t deserve him.
"Hey," Xander murmured against my crown as a few stray tears finally slipped past my defense, dampening his shirt. "It’s going to be alright, Kat. I promise you. He’s not going to win. You are never going back to that place, never."
If anything, his unconditional kindness only managed to make me cry harder. A ragged sob escaped my throat as I tried and failed to draw a steady breath.
"Come on," he coaxed gently, his grip tightening when he realized I wasn't calming down. "Come on, it’s okay. You're safe. I promise you, Kat, I promise."
"It’s... it’s not that," I hiccuped, desperately trying to find my voice through the tears. "I... you knew. You warned me, you tried so hard to protect me... and I... I said such awful, terrible t
