Chapter 405 – Balance Ella
“Dominic,” I murmur, reaching for him. “No,” he snaps, taking a step away from me and shaking his head. “You’re taking this too far, Ella – I know you want to help, but Icannot have you putting yourself at risk like this!” He sputters for a moment, turning away from me and hanging his head, bringing a hand up to cover his face.
I reach for him, seeking him through our bond, not understanding this reaction and needing to know –
He opens his heart to me when I gently ask him to through the bond. He lets me see all of his fear, all of his anxiety, all of the guilt that already rolls in him when he even thinksabout the possibility of losing Rafe and I when he could just keep usso safe-
And my heart breaks, for what feels like the eightieth time today, as I stare at my mate’s back, his broad shoulders.
“I’m so sorry, Dominic,” I whisper, closing the distance between us and wrapping my arms around his waist from behind, resting my head against his back, closing my eyes. “I hear you Ifeelyour fear for me. But I…I can’t not do this….”
“Ella,” he says, his voice cracking with the strain of his worry, of not understandingwhyI’m pushing this so hard-
But before he can continue, I let out a deep breath and pass him my own feelings down the bond and along with them, the memories I have from today. Of little Leah, and her sunken pale face, and how fresh her skin looked after I spent an hour holding her hand. And little Philip, who lost a hand, and whose wound was badly infected-
back, but who now will live, and be fitted
memories of adozenother children who I helped – who needme, 1 who aren’tsafeunless I’m there to help them. The bareideathat I would ever, ever give that up, just to keep
unthinkable to
still wrapped tight around him.” Please, please don’t ask me to turn away from them. Ican’tdo it – not when I’m theonlyone who can help them like this. The only one
start to fall down his cheeks. “All right, Ella,”
I really am, down to the core of my being. And more than that a man who is willing
“All right?” “All right,” I whisper, agreeing to it freely because I know he’s already given in so much. It’s my term now. “Your terms, Dominic. Whatever you say.” “Damn right, whatever I say,” he snarls, a little playfully, and I grin up at him, loving
murmur back, giving him a smart smack on his rear that makes him jump a little and then laugh. “Thought you’d be used to it by now.” “Yeah,” he sighs,
he murmurs. “It’s really dirty at those camps,” I sigh, stepping away and crossing my fingers. “I’m sorry – was the shirt expensive? I didn’t mean to -” And then he laughs, giving me my own smack on the ass and nodding towards the door in our closet
like me filthy,” I call over my shoulder, “and you know it.” “Don’t listen to your mother,” Sinclair murmurs, pretending to cover Rafe’s ears. I laugh as I start
eaten the food that Sinclair ordered up for me, we’re finally settled in bed in the dark. Or, the near-dark as I lit a little magnolia-
grabbing his
a hand, slowly letting his thumb drift over the line of my cheek. I turn my head a little and kiss that thumb, hoping he knows how well I love him. But…well, I think he
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