Page 62 of Choosing the Rejected Mate

“Out,” I snap, pointing at the door.

Cole hesitates, and Daniel’s growl rolls through the bakery, low and lethal.The bell above the door jingles behind him with offensive cheerfulness as he finally leaves.For three seconds, no one moves.

Maisie starts clapping, and I shake my head at her.“Oh, for Goddess’ sake,” I mutter.

I want the floor to swallow me.I also want to cry.Both feelings are deeply inconvenient.

I turn away from the counter, pulling my hand from Daniel’s, but I only make it two steps before the shakes hit.My knees threaten mutiny.My breath comes too fast.

Not here.Not when Cole can walk back into the bakery any second and see my weakness.

Daniel’s voice is soft at my ear.“Office?”

I nod once.He does not touch me until we are behind the swinging kitchen door.Even then, he only walks close enough that his warmth steadies me.We reach my tiny office, which is really a storage closet with a desk, and I step inside.

The door closes behind us, and I break.Not dramatically.No sobbing collapse.Just one hand over my mouth, one pressed against my stomach, trying to hold in the sound that wants out.

Daniel stands in front of me, fists clenched at his sides.“Can I touch you?”

That undoes me more than anything Cole said, and I nod.Daniel pulls me into his arms, and I go willingly.His body wraps around mine, warm and solid, and I bury my face in his chest as the first sob tears free.It hurts.Goddess, it hurts.Not because I want Rowan.Not because Cole’s right.Because some wounds don’t care how healed you are.They still ache when someone presses hard enough.

Daniel holds me through it without saying a word.No promises of murder.No growled claims.No trying to turn my pain into his rage.

Just his presence.

After a while, I manage to pull back.“I hate crying.”

“I noticed.”

“It’s wet and undignified.”

“Very inefficient.”A broken laugh slips out of me.

His thumb wipes under my eye.“There she is.”

My chest squeezes, and I look up at him.“You stopped.”

His brows pull together.“When?”

“When I held up my hand.You stopped.”

Understanding dawns.His expression goes soft in the way that makes my heart stupid.“You asked me to.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t need to.”

A fresh tear slips down my cheek.

Daniel smiles faintly.“That one looked angry.”

“It is.”

He kisses it from my skin, and the tiny touch sends warmth through me.I inhale shakily.“Cole was right about one thing.”

Daniel goes still, and I place my hand over his chest.“You don’t know all of me.”

“I want to.”