Page 64 of Lacey's Fight

“But we …”

“Were working together. Since I’m in a hospital, I can assume the mission is wrapped up which means we’re nothing to each other. You did say you could keep the sex meaningless, didn’t you?” He arched a brow while internally flogging himself at the pain that flared to life in her eyes.

“I did.” With what he could tell was enormous determination she held his gaze even as she shrunk in on herself. “But I need to tell you …”

“You don’t need to tell me anything.”

“But …”

“No buts, Lacey. Thank you for your offer to help me with my … issue. I’m glad we achieved what we set out to achieve, but that’s it, it’s over and done with now.”

Hurt was plain to see, etched into every one of her features, but his sunflower was a stubborn one. “I understand. But I just need …”

“I just need for you to leave,” he bellowed. Didn’t she know this was torture for him? He had come so close to failing her, letting her be murdered, and even though she’d lived she would have more scars now.

Scars he would see every time he looked at her.

And he wasn’t talking about physical marks on her wrists and back.

Every time he looked at her, he would remember finding her with her pants yanked down and recall the words she’d hurled at him in their room at the manor. He was responsible for that pain she had suffered, and he would never forgive himself for it.

Bowing her head, Lacey didn’t utter another word, simply turned, and walked quietly out of the room, taking with her a bigger piece of his heart than he had realized he’d handed over.

The need to call her back, beg for forgiveness until she caved, was strong, but he resisted it.

Forced himself to remember finding Jemima’s body, hacked to pieces in the bedroom they had shared. Remember every biting agony as he stumbled through those first days and weeks. Then to remember how he’d felt when he learned Lacey had been snatched. Her job was dangerous, and he’d never ask her to quit it, but he also couldn’t handle losing her.

Because despite the fact he’d sent her away, he ached for her presence.

Too bad he was too much of a coward to face the possibility of losing her.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

August 9th

4:31 P.M.

“Sister time.”

As Lacey opened the door, she found Ivory holding up an armful of snacks, with Pearl and Opal standing behind her with more snacks than the four of them could ever eat in one sitting.

Seeing her sisters there, ready to support her when she so badly needed them, broke the dam inside her.

Sheer strength of will, and a heavy dose of self-preservation, had helped her keep it together while she traveled back from England. She’d even made it all the way to her apartment without shedding a tear. She’d unpacked and taken a shower—not as relaxing as it seemed since her back was a mess and she had to try to keep as much water off it as she could. She’d even made herself eat some lunch because she was trying to take care of herself even though she hadn’t been hungry.

But now that her sisters were back from the mission, they’d been scouting information for, she was ready to let go.

Lacey had passed the end of her rope so long ago she couldn’t even see it anymore.

Strong was one thing, but no one had enough strength to handle what had been thrown at her the last few days.

No one.

Not even her and her cheery persona.

When her face crumpled, and a noisy sob burst free, surprised faces quickly turned to concerned ones. Of their little family, Opal was the emotional one in their group, she was sweet and sensitive despite their upbringing. It wasn’t that Opal cried much, none of them did, it had been tortured out of them. But Lacey was always smiling, always bubbly and sassy, so she knew this sudden bout of tears had shocked all her sisters.

The tears were quickly devolving into full-on sobs, and when Ivory quickly dropped her armful of snacks onto the small table by the front door and wrapped her arms around Lacey instead, she fell into her sister’s embrace.

---