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"I will always come back," he says, and in those siy

I nod, then clutch his hand "I didn’t see the photos," I say "But no matter what is in theht you needed sleep" I look away, notback are just too damn selfish I didn’t think you needed me

"I wanted you, Nikki," he says, as if in answer to hts "I wanted to pull you close and strip you naked I wanted to tie you up and run ers over every inch of you I wanted to buryyou to the brink over and over again, never quite letting you come"

I s I am suddenly very, very warm

"I wanted every sensation you experienced--every spark of pleasure, every hint of pain--to coedyou felt, everything you wanted, everything you desired--I wanted it to be wrapped up in my touch, inleft but you and oddamn world was erased"

"Why didn’t you?" My mouth is dry and I have to force the words out

He doesn’t answer

I take a step closer, pushing through the thick, charged air that fills the space between us "Whatever you need from me, all you have to do is take it You know that"

"I couldn’t," he says, and his voice is harsh "I couldn’t bear to have you in es were in my head"

"I--oh" I a Just settle ainst his chest and listen to his heartbeat and the steady rhythm of his breath

After a es are like scenes from a horror movie They shohat Richter did, and how he did it They show degradation and they show pain, and I will never, ever put those ies in your hands I won’t let you look at even one of theine what you want, but I don’t want the reality ofyour present the way they haunt ht," I say, because I don’t want to see thehter "But, Damien, if it will help you, then show them to me I can handle it"

"No," he says with a slow shake of his head "I don’t want you to have to handle it That’s the horror of my past But youyou’re the reality of my present You’re the proof that I survived The prize in the cereal box," he adds with an irin, but it quickly fades "Hopefully you won’t see them anyway"

"Why would I?"

"Whoever sent that evidence to the court must still have copies" It is the bland, unemotional quality of his voice that tells me how much he hates that siht? I mean, those pictures have existed for almost two decades They only surfaced when you were in trouble"

"In s have a tendency to remain unearthed"