Page 73 (1/2)

“Aidan”

At her shaky voice, he lowered his hand, stared into her teary eyes, and added, “Her death gutted h” He looked to his feet, forcing the words out of his tight throat “But to add to that, I suffered because I had failed her I should have been there I should have protected her the night of the car accident”

Aidan sensed Cora approaching before her hand pressed gently against his arm “How could you have? It was an accident”

“I couldn’t That is the logical answer” A painful tightness forazed into her crystal clear eyes and scanned over her splotchy skin “The Do I believe in and all the morals that define me as a Dom” Her touch on his arm carried warmth into his icy veins “Do you understand that?”

Cora regarded hiave a small nod “Actually, thatto sub unable to”

Of course she understood He’d done exactly that to her He wouldn’t spend his ti that He would do his best to ensure she never felt that way again He raised his hand, brushing his finger against her cheek “Then there was you …” He slid his thued everything Your subht me happiness, but it healed the part of me that craves control”

She leaned into his touch, a slow s, too, you know”

He hesitated, grasping her chin “What did I give you?”

A tear escape her eye “Hope”

Aidan shut his eyes, overwhelh that one answer told him all he needed to know Cora’s love held no restraints It didn’t h It didn’t matter that he’d hurt her She broke because he rejected her Now that he welcoive him

To be okay and feel safe, she needed him

He undeniably needed her, too

If only he’d realized that a lot sooner

Aidan forced all the negativity for what he’d done away Pain and regret had destroyed hiood parts of hih with his pain He swiped away thein her soft skin “All of this has been fear It’s weakness I didn’t want to fail you” He sed the thick eiven all of herself “But I did anyway, didn’t I?”

Her chin trembled “You did”