Page 36 of Reins

I want to see it again.

Hesitantly, my palm hovers inches above his arm while I take a deep breath. I want to make him feel better.

He promised to keep me safe. The least I can do is offer some small comfort.

When my fingers light on his shirt, he freezes.

Did I fuck up?

But with a harrowing exhale, he reaches around to cover my knuckles with his warm callused hand. “Thank you.” His voice is hoarse, barely a rasp.

I’m not used to anyone touching me, yet it’s…pleasant.

“I never saw the truth, no matter how many times I stared at those pictures.” He’s muffled into his sleeve. Then he raises to look at me with those red-rimmed eyes like caramel. “You did. I think you just saved me, Ros.”

His jaw muscles clench as he turns to stare out the window. “I didn’t do it,” he whispers, another quake running through him.

“Do what?” I glance down to see his other hand splayed over the photo I had pointed to. But it’s the white puckers on his skin that draw my attention.

How much of him is scarred?

“I wasn’t driving, Ros. Ava was.” He sniffles and sits up, but doesn’t let go of my hand pressing his shoulder.

He holds on like it’s a lifeline.

“The only way that indent would have happened is her chest hitting hard enough into the wheel. That damn truck was so old it didn’t have airbags.” His head drops as he shakes it making his dark hair fall over his eyes. “It wasn’t my fault. All these years—” He chokes down a sob. “—I carried the guilt. My brother lost his wife that night.” Cade turns to drop his forehead again, still clinging to my fingers. “I thought I killed her. He thinks I did.”

My stomach flip flops, almost making the stew sour.

Eli and John blame him too.

So much agony is tied up around it.

“You should tell him.” I rest my other hand on his broad back as if I’m drawn to the heat. “I’m sure he’d understand.”

Cade snorts. “You don’t know Mason.” When he shifts, he pats my knuckles then moves his palm away to rub down his face.

Maybe he doesn’t want me to touch him anymore?

I hate that I feel so awkward. Is this easier for other people?

Probably.

He gives me a weak smile and sighs. “I don’t know how to tell him. It’s pretty set in stone now. And this?” He twirls the picture with his thumb. “Might be proof, but it’s nothing solid enough to change his mind.”

My fingers still tingle from the warmth of our contact, so I tangle them together on my lap when I sit back in the chair.

Cade stands abruptly and starts pacing in the small kitchen.

I tried not to flinch, I really did. I hope he didn’t notice.

“The best thing I can do to get back on his good side is to find some sort of proof against your brothers.” He scratches the whiskers along his jaw, then stops mid stride.

“Eli was furious at you about Val?” His intense gaze makes me shrink in the seat.

As if he sees it, his expression softens. “I’m sorry, Ros.” Moving back to the chair, he falls into it. “I’m not trying to scare you. I just don’t know how to handle this.”

I stare at my thumbs and pick at the skin on the edge. “I’m glad it wasn’t you.” Everything I’ve been taught was how much of a villain Cade is.