Page 115 of The Grumpy Defenseman
“You understand that is a lot.”
“Yes.”
“Because part of me wants to run directly into that sentence, and the other part wants to check the exits.”
That felt fair.
It also sounded like her.
“Check them,” I said.
Her mouth trembled once, almost a laugh and not quite.
“That is not usually how people respond.”
“I’m not asking you to be trapped.”
“I know.”
“I am asking you to stay if you want to.”
The words settled between us.
A car moved along the road below, headlights cutting through the dark before disappearing behind the trees.
Sam pressed her lips together, held her breath in, then let it out slowly.
“I’m scared,” she said.
Her voice was smaller than usual.
Stillhers.
“I know.”
“I have been scared since Paramour. Since before that, probably. I kept dressing it up as professional caution because that sounded smarter than admitting I wanted someone who could hurt me.”
My hand tightened on the steering wheel.
“I do not want to hurt you.”
“That does not mean you won’t.”
No accusation.
Truth.
“No,” I said. “It doesn’t.”
She looked at me then, and the fear in her face did not push me away. It made me want to be exact.
“I cannot promise I will never get it wrong,” I said. “I already have. So have you.”
Her throat moved.
“Yes.”
“But I can promise I will not disappear into silence and make you guess where I went. I can promise I will tell the truth before it becomes damage. I can promise I will notmake you pay for what other people did to me.”
