Page 60 of Brambles and Bellflowers
Her eyes had started to take on a glassy sheen, and she’d become so tense I thought she might shatter. “Bianca?”
“P-p-please don’t touch me there.”
The pain in her voice twisted at me, and I rolled off her. I moved to my knees and gathered her against me in one quick motion. I wrapped the blanket around us.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, rocking her in my lap. But I knew what she’d say.
She shook her head, and disappointment tore through me anyway. I’d hoped there might be a chance since she’d opened up—even just a little bit—earlier.
“A-a-are you going to tell the others?”
The words seemed familiar, and it took a second before the recollection hit. She’d done this before—depended on me to tell the others her history of being locked away.
Knowing her now, it had probably taken everything for her to open up the first time. And somehow, even back then, she’d trusted me to handle things when it became too much for her.
I’d seen her relationship grow with the others: Julian had become her support, and Titus her defense. Miles’s position was still up in the air, especially since he’d run off like an idiot, but I suspected he’d be more of a comfort to her than anything.
All this time, I wasn’t sure where I’d fallen, but now I had my answer: she was asking me to be hervoice.
The realization took my breath away.
Our roles were reversed from our usual dynamic, but I could do that. I would do whatever she needed.
“Do you wantme to tell the others?” I asked.
This—everything that had just happened and what I’d learned—was something they should know. But at the same time, I struggled with jealousy, not wanting to share any part of her with anyone else.
But she nodded, and my resolve solidified. This was no time to be selfish.
“Then I’ll take care of it, baby girl.” I tucked her closer until her head rested snugly under my chin. Her violent trembling had subsided, and she fell perfectly in place against me.
We were almost finished. I’d already pushed her too far.
Yet, there was still one more matter that needed discussing.
“There’s something I’ve been wondering.” I tried to keep my tone light.
“What is it?” she asked, exhaustion lacing her voice.
Another stab of guilt tore through me. We’d hiked long and hard today, and she had already been anxious about Miles and upset from earlier.
Still, this would only take a moment. Besides, I was sure I already knew the answer.
However, Titus had wanted to make sure, and there hadn’t been a good opportunity to ask. And with how she closed off her emotions, there might not be another chance.
So I pressed forward. “You’ve always had that mark on your chest?”
The answer was obvious from her sudden, wary tension. “Y-y-yes.”
I almost couldn’t breathe.
“Other people have seen it?” I fought to keep the urgency from my voice. I’d be surprised if they hadn’t, considering the nature of her abuse.
“Yes…”
I expected this, but her confirmation didn’t make me feel better.
I buried my face in her hair, surrounding myself with her honeysuckle scent, as I willed my temper to calm.
