Page 69 of Older

Reed’s lips parted, a sharp breath escaping.

Hesitation gripped him as he stood before me, wordless and unsure.

He was afraid of something.

And I knew what that something was.

Me.

Clearing his throat, he dropped his gaze to the floor as he rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know, Halley,” he breathed out. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

I studied him, watching the conflict skip across his handsome face.

He felt the weight of the request slamming down on him. Heard the warning bells chiming deep within the innocent cadence of my voice.

Reed knew.

I knew, too, but I trusted our willpower far more than I should have.

“Please.” Steeling my resolve, I tipped my chin higher. “I’ll find a way to pay you for the sessions. I just got a job at a local animal hospital. It’s only a kennel tech position, and the pay isn’t great, but it’s something. Whatever I can’t pay you now, I will later. I promise I’ll?—”

“It’s not about the money.”

I swallowed.

He was right. It wasn’t about the money at all.

Reed scrubbed a palm down his face, forehead to chin, and scratched at the bristles lining his jaw. His eyes were pinned just over my shoulder, his biceps stretching the sleeves of his shirt.

I licked my lips, inching closer. Desperate to plead my case. “My father broke me,” I said, my voice fraying on the words. “He shattered my spirit, my strength, my whole damn heart. I don’t even know who I am anymore. All I know is who I want to be…and it’s not this girl. It’s not this shadow, this terrified little lamb constantly looking over her shoulder for the big bad wolf to attack. To take another bite out of me. I refuse to live my life in fear, and I never again want to be saved.”

He let out a long breath, his eyes closing as he his cupped his jaw. “Halley…”

“I want this, Reed.” I begged, hissing the words through my teeth. “Please. I think it’s a good idea.”

I watched his eyes slowly open, his gaze falling back on me.

His jaw clenched, muscles twitching.

“I need to do this.”

Silence answered for a long time, only severed by the steady stream of traffic from outside the cracked window and the sound of my heart ping-ponging between my ribs.

“Yeah,” he finally said. “Okay.” He exhaled slowly, sending me a poignant look as he nodded through his surrender. “We’ll train.”

Something told me it was a bad idea.

And that we’d both find that out soon enough.

CHAPTER 14

She hit the mat, hard.

“Try again,” I said, a light sheen of sweat clinging to my hairline as the resounding thud echoed throughout the gym. She’d told me not to hold back; I’d listened. “Get up.”

Scotty watched us from the sidelines, sitting against the far wall with his knees drawn up. He sipped a Gatorade, attention locked on me as I moved around Halley, my feet drawing tight circles on the blue mat.

Halley remained sprawled out beneath me, her chest heaving, expression pinched with resignation as she stared up at the high ceiling.

---