"Because my past caught up to me," I clarified, reaching out a hand, my fingers hovering over his arm. "Because for a moment, Chad's shadow was so dark, I couldn't see the difference between his toxicity and your… your care. Your protection." My hand dropped to his forearm, my fingers wrapping around the thick muscle. His skin was warm beneath my touch. "You broke your own rules for me, didn't you? You stayed until I slept. You risked everything to find me. You were worried, weren't you?"
He closed his eyes for a moment, a shudder passing through his body. When he opened them, the raw vulnerability was still there, but now mingled with a desperate hope. "Yes, Katie. I was. I still am. I was afraid I'd broken you. That I'd driven you away forever."
"You didn't," I whispered, my thumb trac
