Page 137 of Pretend You Love Me

I’m not sure how to respond. She opens the package and takes out two cookies.

“I’m starving,” she says under her breath. She takes a bite of a cookie and moans. I swear it’s one of the most erotic things I’ve ever witnessed. It’s a completely inappropriate time to get hard, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I sit down across from her quickly.

“Want one? You can’t have any of the ginger ones. They are mine.”

“Sure.”

She hands me a chocolate cookie, and I take a bite.

“Did you have a nightmare tonight?”

She shakes her head.

“I didn’t even fall asleep.” Her eyes lock on mine. “Too many things on my mind.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask.

She lets out a bitter laugh. “Oh you’ve already helped out enough.”

I shoot her a confused look, and she averts her eyes.

“I care about you. I want to make sure you’re okay.”

She huffs. “I don’tneedyou, Kip.”

“I never said you did.” I know she’s angry with me about the things I said, but I’m not really sure why she’s reacting like this.

“I’m tired of everyone treating me like a child. I don’t need to be watched. I don’t need to be rescued. I’m doing fine. I’m capable on my own.”

“I know you are.” My voice comes out barely a whisper.

She rubs her temples with her hands. “It’s been a tough few months.”

“And I made things worse,” I say, lifting my eyes to hers.

“There’s a lot more going on than just what happened between us.”

I reach over and grab her hand. I know she probably doesn’t want me to, but she doesn’t move it either. “Tell me.”

She hesitates for a moment and then lets out a breath that softens her body. “Oh fine. I had forgotten, or I guess repressed a lot of memories from when I was little, and they’ve all started flooding back.”

I squeeze her hand. She closes her eyes. “I remember him choking my mom until she passed out. She’d hide us in the closet when he was angry. One time he pulled me out by my hair after he was finished with her.”

“Jesus.”

Her eyes are still closed. “I keep seeing the bullet rip through his neck.”

She opens her eyes. “When I close my eyes at night, it just plays over and over again.”

My arms twitch to hold her. “Can I hug you?”

She nods without looking up. I move over to her and wrap my arms around her. As soon as I pull her into my body, she inhales sharply and flinches, jerking her body back.

“What’s wrong?” I look down at her with worry.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Brooklyn? What wasthat?”