Page 21 of Healed Heart

“I can’t believe he did it,” I say, anger seeping into my tone.

“He?”Jason pulls away from me.“What do you know about this, Angie?”

I bury my face in my hands.“God, I’m sorry.Maybe I should have told you.”

“Yeah.”He sits up.“Maybe you should have told me a lot of things.Like you’re not on birth control.That you’re a member of the Steel family.That?—”

I rise from the bed, anger flowing through me.“You’re not being fair.We never talked about birth control because we never talked about sex.We just did it.And you always used a condom before, so I had no reason to think you wouldn’t use one this time.”

He opens his mouth, but I keep talking.

“And yesterday you asked me to go to Switzerland with you.I was ready to tell you yes this morning.Ready when I went to your office, only for Ralph to tell me you were led off by those two people.”I cross my arms.“Oh, and itwasRalph, by the way.He’s the one who told me he saw us kissing.I denied it, of course, but he claims he snapped a photo.”

“Angie…”

“And he tried to kiss me.”My lip trembles.“Before he told me he saw us.He thought I was easy because I was kissing the teacher.”

He shifts his gaze quickly.“Wait, wait, wait.He tried towhat?”

I gulp.“Kiss me.Here.At my place.”

He curls his fingers into fists.“What the fuck was he doinghere?”

“We had study group.The night after our first anatomy lab.”

Jason’s face goes red.“Who the hell is this guy?”He grabs me.“Did he hurt you?I’ll kill him.”

A sliver of fear edges into me.

I love this man.But do I trulyknowthis man?It’s only been a little over a week.

“Jason, I’m fine.”

He grabs my wrist.His grip is tight, almost painful, but the look in his eyes makes my heart ache.He’s a man pushed to the brink, wrestling with demons past and present, some because of me.

“It’s not worth it,” I say.“He didn’t hurt me.I told him off and he left.”

Jason scowls, the lines on his forehead deepening as he loosens his clasp on my wrist.“If he saw us, and he wants you, that’s why he went to HR.”

“Maybe.But why would he want me?”

“For the love of God, Angie, why wouldn’t he?”He rubs at his forehead.“Not only are you the most beautiful woman in the free world, but you come with a built-in trust fund.Who the hellwouldn’twant you?”

“You’re not saying…”

“Fuck no.”He rakes his fingers through his hair.“That’s not why I want you.I’m practically debt free.”He lets out a huff.“Iamdebt free, until this trip to Switzerland.The surgery may cost more than I have, but I have my own resources.I don’t need yours.”

Jason is debt free?

Then again, he did lose his wife and daughter.If they had life insurance… That would explain it.Of course, if his wife killed herself, that might have annulled the policy.Probably depends on how long she was insured.

“What did you tell HR?”I ask.

“I denied everything,” he says.“I hated doing it.”

“No.You did the right thing.”I squeeze his hand.“If they ask me about it, I’ll say the same.”

He shakes his head.“I don’t want you lying for me.”