Page 43 (2/2)

"The hell you do!"

He pressed his lips to Christina’s hair as he held her, the anguish on his face breaking Kelsey’s heart into little frago, Chris I’m" Kelsey watched hiet another correction "I’o away You deserve better"

The words hit Kelsey with the force of a kick to the sternuo Had given the same "I’m fucked up" speech that had earned Hawk a slap She was such a goddamned hypocrite

Christina pulled back fro shiny "I have better I have you And I’ive that up just because you’rewhatever this is"

"Baby," Hawk pleaded

But Christina was already turning toward Kelsey, her shoulders squaring and chin lifting, shaky bravado but impressive nonetheless "Let her showhorrified

Christina put her hands on her hips and faced Hawk She looked so danized steel hen she saw it "You want to crawl on your knees for a woman, want to be beaten on, called na it for er boobs than mine"

Hawk’s eyes ide "What?"

Christina looked to Kelsey, ignoring Hawk’s question "Can you teach ive him what he needs?"

Kelsey raised her eyebrows, a little stunned, but a lot iirl "That’s up to Hawk"

"Chris, you don’t knohat this is, howugly and brutal it can seem," Hawk said, but there was a note of hope in his voice

"Shut up" Christina stepped in front of Hawk and put her hands on his shoulders, pushing onto her tiptoes to reach, and exerted pressure Without hesitation he went down to his knees before her This big brute of a guy falling to a little slip of a girl Kelsey didn’t think she’d ever seen anything so beautiful Christina touched Hawk’s stubbled cheek "I love you, you jerk No part of you will ever be ugly toto learn I’her than you think"

Haho had never cried in Kelsey’s sessions, no matter how much pain she dished out, teared up Salty warirl to siardless of the co Christina loved hi, that this hat love looked like Not a picture perfect "nore But acceptance of it all and a willingness to face it all together To eainst the wall, the weight of that realizationher want to slide to the floor

"I love you, too," Hawk said, pressing his cheek to Christina’s chest "Baby, I love you so much Thank you"

Christina stroked his hair and s honest, the idea of you tied up and following my directions is past the level of super hot"

"Really?" he asked, his voice full of wonder

Christina gripped his hair with surprising strength and yanked his head upward so he could see her face "But I swear to God, if you keep going to so you up by your balls and beat the shit out of you"

"God, Chris" Hawk’s eyes glazed over a bit at that, and Kelsey had to hold back a chuckle The girl had no idea how ht nok looked toward Kelsey "Would you be willing to train her, Mistress? I know you’re not taking clients any--"

"I’ off the wall and s "But this I’ll do for free" She looked to Christina "As long as your newto share the room with me for a little while"

Christina backed away from Hawk and eyed Kelsey "You never slept with him?"

"He wouldn’t have done that to you, hon He told me every session how in love with you he was" Kelsey put her hand to her throat, rubbing the spot where Wyatt had collared her in his tender grip "And I’aze flitted her way, and he gave her the biggest, broadest smile she’d ever seen hiot a deal Make hed and shook her hand "Oh, Hawk, you’re in trouble"

He leaned forward and grabbed Christina by the waist, dragging her down to him "No, I’ her own lad Haas in heaven

Maybe it was time for her to step out of her own hell

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

"I have a bridal eency"

Kelsey hit the speaker phone button and set her phone in her car’s cup holder "Talk to lanced at the mile marker as it whizzed by "Uh, probably like thirtyback intoa total pain, but would you possibly be willing to put that on hold for tonight? I’ out about the bridesmaid’s dress I chose, and I need you to try another one on forto make the switch and have them in time"

Kelsey rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but s for you, B Where do I need to go?"

Brynn gave her directions to the shop, and Kelsey hung up and sagged into her seat She’d been hoping to go hoet settled in, maybe come up with a way to call Wyatt and thank him for what he did with Howie Miller But that would have to wait And perhaps it was for the best She wasn’t sure if she had the right words for Wyatt yet What she’d said to him to end it had been the lowest move To even reference what had happened to him in the past had been cruel and cowardly on her part She wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t take her call