Hailey
Another tear fell, but I wiped it away before it could betray me completely. "She married the man who made her smile again. The man who made her feel safe, who kissed her forehead instead of giving her bruises. The man who held her hand, not pushed her down the stairs. Coby was the one she'd been waiting for her entire life. Neither my mom nor I ever cared about money. We struggled, yeah, but what we wanted most- what we needed- was warmth, security."
I let the words sink in, meeting his gaze. "And I'd never trade that warmth for anything. I know how cold and terrifying life can be without it."
Damien's eyes softened, his thumb brushing away the last of my tears. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't know."
"It's okay," I breathed out. "You weren't supposed to know."
