Page 16 of Unveiled Wounds

I shoved her shoulder again just for the hell of it. “I won’t be the one who tells JR that his mom is gone. Not dead, but gone. He’s too little to understand that you’re not out in the world somewhere and just didn’t want him. That’s not the truth, but he won’t know that.”

“Are you talking about Mom? She couldn’t show up on the doorstep one day.” Grace swiped her hand under her eye.

“You’re a good mom, and I wasn’t taking the chance I’d have to explain.” A sob broke free, but I quickly squashed any more. The brothers were watching us fight in the yard, and I wouldn’t look weak.

“If you were protecting JR, why won’t you touch him?” She didn’t hold back the tears that ran down her cheeks.

I lowered my eyes to the dirt as I made a hole in the ground with my toe. “I have blood on my hands, and he’s pure.”

“That doesn’t matter. You were just protecting yourself and Aunt E,” she reasoned with me.

“I have blood on my hands,” I yelled at her. “Do you need a visual, Grace? I wrapped my belt around Pulse’s neck, dug my knees into the back of his seat, and pulled until his neck snapped against the headrest.”

“We’re scared, right?”a brother asked.

“Probably. Anyone else think this is kind of hot?”

Grace said nothing, and I lost my shit. “I killed Aunt E’s only child, and you’re more concerned that I won’t touch yours. Are you fucking delusional? You shouldn’t let anyone touch JR.”

“JR was born to the Iron Shield. He’s going to prospect one day, with no regards to how I feel about it. Want to know why? These are some of the best men we know, and he’ll want toimitate them. There’s always going to be blood, Mer, and you’re going to miss out on getting to know your nephew, if that’s all you see.”

“She said we were good men. I haven’t been called that in years.”

“Not you. Definitely, not you.”

“I don’t get a break from this nightmare. You’re asking me to forget when Pulse invades my thoughts at night,” I said, but she wasn’t paying attention to me.

My scars distracted her. “Does that hurt?” she asked me, pointing to my left side.

“No, but the skin pulls. This was the parting gift from the first kidnapping.” I whipped the crop top over my head and threw it at her. My scars were completely on display.

It had been over six months since the accident, and the skin had healed. There was no puffiness or redness, but you could clearly see the patchwork design. It looked like a student had taken scraps of my skin and had fun sewing whatever they thought might fit together. White lines separated the different grafts, and while some skin felt smooth, most puckered.

“My god,” she whispered.

I still struggled to stomach the ugliness, but I was getting better. I could now look at myself in the mirror, and if I caught a glimpse of my arm, I didn’t panic. My stomach gurgled as I stood in the yard, stripped down to just my bra and leggings. I had never wanted this to progress as far or fast as it had. I had just wanted them to get their fill so they would leave me alone.

There was no going back now. I wouldn’t have been able to let them take in the damage a few months ago, but I was stronger now. I held my head high, refusing to let anyone shame or pity me. They would get their fill, and life would move on. Silence hung in the front yard until someone let out a whistle.

“Damn, Buster.”

I hadn’t been expecting a catcall, but I wasn’t mad at it either. It was a long-awaited boost to my ego.

“Grizz’s going to sleep with one eye open, or he might wake up one morning missing parts.”

“No wonder Grizz ain’t given up.”

I stood with my feet shoulder-width a part and my hands clenched at my hips, but as I heard more of their teasing, the tension left my body.

“Shit, I wouldn’t either if I had a woman who looked like that.”

“This is Meredith we’re talking about. I feel weird.”

“Damn, she makes the hangarounds look like dumps.”

By the time it was over, I was genuinely smiling. It hadn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. I still would hide the scars for myself, but if they showed, I wouldn’t worry about it. The brothers could be jealous of Grizz for all I cared.

Grace threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I can’t lose you. This was all just a—”

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