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But I can’t fight the fog enough to tell her that, can’t make myself wake up.

Not even as she says, “I’ll talk to the social worker, see what we can do about making that happen.”

Five

Dash

“‘In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will no longer be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.’”

I read the words and can’t help but smile.

This is some seriously romantic shit. I’ve been reading to Willow on and off for two days and I can’t put the damn book down. I don’t know what’s more interesting—the fact that I’m reading a romance novel or that I’m reading to a woman in a coma who I don’t know.

Except I’m starting to feel like I do know her.

I’ve had my team dig up anything and everything they can find about her, going back to when she was a kid.

Overbearing stage mother.

Racy photoshoots and commercials starting at ten years old.

A wild streak in her teens, earning her quite the reputation.

Doing a movie with Dylan Durand that changed her career—and apparently, her life.

They moved in together as soon as the film wrapped and have been the couple about town ever since. Rich, beautiful, and the crème de la crème in Hollywood. They have it all on paper.

But I’ve started to find the chinks in the armor.

Bruises on her arm that makeup didn’t quite cover up at a premiere.

The fact that she seemingly has no girlfriends—at least, none that I can find evidence of.

Cringe-worthy comments Durand has made in interviews that people have laughed off as sweet and romantic, when I find them controlling as fuck. I’m not a relationship kind of guy, but I would never talk about a woman I love like that.

I wish I knew more, but Durand keeps a tight rein on his private life, only allowing the public to see what he wants us to see. So much so even my guys couldn’t get close to their palatial estate in Malibu.

Things are finally coming together in the book, and while I’ve become invested in the story, I’m a little bit more invested in what’s going on with Willow and Dylan. He’s not a good man. I didn’t even try to hide that I was eavesdropping on his visit this morning, and the way he talks to Willow makes my skin crawl.

Insulting her, threatening, even roughly shaking her leg at one point.

That asshole is downright cruel.

It took a lot of self-control not to walk in and put my fist through his face.

A dozen times.

In my peripheral vision, I notice movement and I do a double take.

“‘I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever.’”

Am I imagining that Willow’s finger just moved?

I freeze, practically holding my breath, watching, and…there it is again.

Holy shit.

Maybe a few more pages will motivate her.