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“Give it to ht ones, even though in one way they made absolutely no sense But it hat Cate needed to hear He didn’t kno he knew, just that the knowledge was branded into his consciousness “Let me carry that burden for you, sweetheart You’ve carried it long enough” The endearment slipped out, but Cate either didn’t focus on it, or she accepted it—he wasn’t sure which

“I can’t ask you to—”

“You’re not asking I’ There’s a difference Let me do this for you”

“Liam” Just his naiven her so precious and dear to her Soet

Emotion welled up in Cate’s throat as Lia about hoonderful it would be if she could surrender her past to hiuilt and pain she’d harbored inside her since the day she becaht she’d carried all these years

Even though she knew—rationally—the only one who could free her was herself, the idea was te and seductive as it felt being in Lia So protective In the shelter of his embrace was the only place she wanted to benow and always

But that was crazy thinking No matter what Liam said, her past would always color her future—which meant she could never have a future with a man like hie of what she’d beenwhat she’d donefrom his mind any more than she could No matter how much she wanted to

And she did want to She wanted thatin the world More than she could ever put into words She wanted it with an intensity that swept everything else aside, an intensity she’d only felt once before—the hate she had for Vishenko

But what she was feeling noasn’t hate—far from it A new emotion unfurled tiny petals deep within her as she laid with her head pillowed against Liam’s shoulder An emotion she didn’t dare name, but which made her wish in a hopeless, helpless way, she could tell him what his offer meant to her Not just now, but in the future She would never be couilt and shame could be banishedwith Liam’s help

Before she could stop herself, she pressed her lips against the warly close

Liam’s entire body was electrified when Cate’s lips brushed his skin He tried not to respond, quickly tried to diagraet hisCate the way he’d drea herand she’d kissed hi a totally predictable effect on him An effect he’d be damned if she realized He tried to surreptitiously pull away, tried to shift in the rocking chair so she wouldn’t notice hih, but it was already too late

Their gazes e that he wanted her—how had she put it?—that way The knowledge in her eyes was followed by acceptance And instead of ry Not at her, but at himself At the world And most especially at Vishenko

“It’s okay,” she told hi one hand to cradle his cheek

“No, it’s not,” he said abruptly, catching her hand with his and forcing it away

“You want me” She sed noticeably “I don’t mind, Liam I don’t”

His anger spilled over “I don’t want you to not rated “I want you to want it, too As much as I do”

Her pale blue eyes darkened as shadows filled theret colored her words, and Liah I want to, I can’t Hehe killed that part of s other women feel”

Liaiven to believe in divine intervention But he suddenly knew—as if God hispering in his ear—what he had to do For Cate Because it had just become his personalHe had to prove Vishenko hadn’t destroyed the inner woman when he’d tortured and abused her body He had to prove she could feel what other women feltwhen the act was done out of love

The knowledge that he loved her wasn’t the revelation he’d thought it would be It had grown on hi tide, until he finally accepted it with nothing more than an Of course! As if he should have known it all along Love All consu his body with an awareness he felt even in his fingertips