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Dee’s hand clenches in h her face still rein to respond to all that I can’t be pissed, because he’s right I had it under control, but it would’ve been nice to knoasn’t fighting alone

"Patience wasn’t even a factor When you love soht with theht for her then, and I’ll continue to do that until she can fight for herself again" I feel hirip, offering ht there is why I didn’t need to say anything" He walks to the other side of the bed, dips his head down to her ear, and talks low enough that I can’t hear hiht at me Maddox leans up, kisses her on the forehead, and walks out the door

"What did he just say?" I whisper, not breaking eye contact

"He… he said it’s ti the same war and not different battles"

I nod hting herself, and running fro the world for her while she does it

It’s time Time for her to let me in and let me help her heal

Easier said than done with Dee, but when I look into her eyes, it isn’t the same force field barrier that she norht into her soul, and the love she keeps carefully hidden, for once, isn’t ht there is all the hope I need

Chapter 13

"If you don’t stop treatingto lose it I o hohs inthe pancake he’s working on

Oh, the infuriatinghis feet

It’s been teeks Two damn weeks since I’ve been released fro Betty freaking Crocker and Suzie Hoood man He cooks my meals, does my laundry, and I bet if I asked, he’d wipeI’m thankful for the assistance, but I haven’t left the house once since we’ve been back The first week, I don’t think I could’ve left if I’d wanted to My ribs screaiven sht a sely and vibrant as before, and the swelling has gone down enough that I look soo to my own house, sleep in my own bed, and put so? The s that scare the shit out ofthis whole ti he’s laying down atthat I’ve been running froot me so turned on that all he would need to do is say ‘come’, and I’m pretty sure my body would detonate like a perfectly crafted boet out of here

He sets the spatula down on the counter and turns to look me in the eyes "We’ve been over this before It’s not safe for you to go hoation, find out who attacked you, and get to the bottoht add, at work So, no… you aren’t going anywhere because right here with ives

"I’ll be fine! My apartment is secure I won’t even leave I can work fro from your house"

"No"

"No? That’s it?" I’ like a brat, but I’m terrified Those walls, that mask, all the protective measures that I’ve perfected over the years disappeared that last day in the hospital I can’t get his words out of my head

"Yeah, Dee, that’s pretty , or I should say, you’re trying to run Well, guess what, Babe? You aren’t going anywhere I finally, fucking finally, got back in, and I’ll be daain" He dishes out the pancakes and brings the plate over to e and the syrup froopen as he starts shoveling food in his ," I whisper

He puts his fork doipes his"You’re right You aren’t running You’re trying to build that fortress back up around you You’re trying to hide I’ve watched you since we’ve been back The old Dee, the one that’s been hiding behind fake shter, that’s what I expected to deal e got home I was so worried about you after Brandon’s attack There were tiht you would be dead when I came to check on you" He pauses and looks away for a second With every word he speaks, my heart starts to pound harder in h hell But the difference is now you aren’t hiding anyo again"