Desmond's face twisted in pure rage, and he violently lifted his right hand into the air to slap me across the face. But just before his hand could make contact with my skin, he froze. He stared at my bruised face, his arm trembling, and slowly lowered his hand back down. Without any warning, he reached forward, caught me by the shoulders, and pulled my body into a tight hug.
A sharp ache flared across my whipped back from the sudden pressure, but my physical injuries were not the main issue on my mind. My heart raced in complete confusion as I wondered why on earth he was hugging me so tightly after everything he had said.
"I'm sorry, Ana," he whispered into the dark room, his voice suddenly sounding thick with sorrow, as if he were feeling deeply sad all of a sudden.
He slowly pul
