I raise my arm and gaze at her, realizing that she doesn’t know. “Ana, I was born in Detroit.”
“I thought you were born here in Seattle.”
No. Reaching behind me, I grab one of the pillows and place it under my head. With my other hand, I continue to run my fingers through her hair. “No. Elliot and I were both adopted in Detroit. We moved here shortly after my adoption. Grace wanted to be on the West Coast, away from the urban sprawl, and she got a job at Northwest Hospital. I have very little memory of that time. Mia was adopted here.”
“So, Jack is from Detroit?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“I ran a background check when you went to work for him.”
She gives me a sideways look. “Do you have a manila file on him, too?” She smirks.
I hide my smile. “I think it’s pale blue.”
“What does it say in his file?”
I stroke her cheek. “You really want to know?”
“Is it that bad?”
I shrug. “I’ve known worse.” My sad and sorry start in life springs to mind.
Ana cuddles into me, pulling the red satin sheet over the two of us before laying her cheek on my chest. She looks thoughtful.
“What?” I ask. Something’s on her mind.
“Nothing,” she murmurs.
both ways, Ana.
her eyebrows drawn together. She rests her cheek on my chest once
about this. “I wasn’t talking about me. I don’t want your
and sorrow, sorrow that anyone could do that to a child.” She stops and swallows, then continues, her voice soft and low. “That part of your life
and run my hand through my hair. Drop it,
feel the need to
what I find most confusing about her. She knows that
doubt. I think I do, I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s my way of bringing you into the here and now—away from your past,” she mutters. “I don’t know. I just can’t seem
“Fucking Flynn,” I mumble.
said I should continue to behave the way I’ve
he, now?” I observe
have him
you couldn’t save her. It wasn’t your job to do that. But
Fuck. What? Stop. Now.
lay paralyzed beneath her. “Don’t,”
discuss
well of harrowing, painful feelings that I don’t want to acknowledge, and I certainly
lifts her head, her bright blue eyes penetrating my shield, and I realize I’m holding my breath. “I’m not her,” Ana says. “I’m much stronger than she was. I have you, and you’re so much stronger now, and I know you love me.
you still love
course I do. Christian, I will always love you. No matter what
Ana, you’re crazy.
eyes and place my arm over my eyes again, holding her
and she pries my arm off my face. “You’ve spent your life hiding. Please don’t, not from
Me?