Page 15 of Devil’s Torture

The truth of it.

The shape of it.

The history behind us on the road of this life.

Something happens that I have never seen happen before. Tears fill Rune’s eyes and for a second, for a single breath, I see Miller.

One falls.

He doesn’t wipe it away.

He doesn’t ask any of the questions I know must be burning through him. At least, he doesn’t ask me.

All of his attention lands on Dawn as she walks around the car and something in him softens. Something long lost. Something I didn’t see earlier when he stood in front of me.

“Wh-what’s,” his voice breaks, “your name?”

“Dawn.” Her voice is strong. Sure.

She’s not afraid of him and he notices. Why would she be afraid? I never lied.

Until the moment he never came back home from a party, apparently to work for the club, the memories I have of Miller were more good than bad. We were happy. At least I thought we were.

Then that night happened and everything changed.

Still, I shared with her the good times.

“How old are you?” A note of hesitation enters his question.

“Nine.” She tilts her head to the side slightly as she studies him and she steps closer. “How old are you?”

Rune glances at me and the agony there makes me wish I could reach for him. But I can’t. Not anymore.

“I’m 30,” he answers her. He swallows hard and then forces the next question past his lips. “You know who I am?”

“Of course,” Dawn says it like it’s the most natural thing in the world because to her, it is. “Mom has always answered my questions about you. She showed me pictures and told me stories about you. I recognize you.”

Another tear breaks free and slides down Rune’s face. He looks at Dawn, the words coming out broken, “I didn’t know about you.”

“I know.”

There is simplicity in her acknowledgement—not that it’s right or wrong, good or bad, it just is. Something breaks in Rune. I watch it happen.

When he looks at me, I murmur, “You didn’t answer. You left. I wasn’t going to march into that clubhouse, when no one would be able to look me in the eye or tell me the truth, to tell them I was pregnant before I told you.” I shake my head firmly. “No.”

The pain on his face almost shatters me.

“You’ve done all of it by yourself.” When I nod, he grits out under his breath, “Fuck.”

“The bills being paid was a huge help. Not having to worry about them gave me room to breathe.”

It’s the only thing I can offer him. Not because it was heroic but because it’s true.

He nods once and then looks between us.

“I’m not turning my back on either of you, but I need a moment.”

“It’s a lot to take in, huh?” Dawn’s question, brimming with sunshine, makes Rune blink at her a few times.