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“I’m sorry,” he whispered with a shake of his head “I didn’t mean to hurt you”

As much as I would have liked to tell hi There was just no way to deny the rough fucking had been painful, so I told him the truth

“I don’t regret it”

His eyes shifted to mine and he finally nodded “I didn’t use a condo tiet out, but then he dropped his eyes once again “I haven’t been with anyone since Revay She was the only one I’ve ever been with”

The ad to find words

“Even after she was gone, she was the only one I ever really wanted,” Hawke continued, his words so quiet I could barely hear them

“You don’t owe me any explanations,” I finally said, still stunned at what he was telling o and haven’t been with anyone since then”

Hawke nodded and stood up He turned to cliet past how different he seemed Gone was the confidence, the hardness Instead, he seemed…broken I waited until he was under the covers before I stood up and turned off the light on his side of the nightstand Just as I turned to collect ain

“She’s my wife, Tate”

Present tense, not past

A knot formed in my throat at the need in his voice “I understand, Hawke,” I whispered, hoping my words would ease him in some way And in that moment, I lost a little bit ofman who’d loved his wife so much that even ten years after he’d lost her, he refused to let her go

Chapter Eleven

Hawke

“Can you pull over at the next rest stop?”