Chapter 68

He moves around me, trying to angle in to look at me with his hands on the floor, so he doesn’t physically touch me and yet also trying to give me space and not cross the barrier I have placed around myself. I flicker my eyes up, heart breaking and needing more than ever to feel back in his arms where dirty awful things don’t happen to me. Where I know he won’t let anything bad happen to me.

I reach out impulsively, launch, and lasso myself around his neck, crying into his chest as his arms come around me tightly. He pulls me into his lap as he securely buries his face in my hair and cradles my head against him protectively.

“I’m sorry, baby. So fucking sorry… I will never scare you like that again. I don’t know what I was thinking… Forgive me,

Mimmo

. I love you so much, Sophie. I would never do anything like that to you. I couldn’t hurt you that way for anything. I’m a fucking asshole.” His voice is torn, ravaged with emotion, and there’s moisture on his c