Chapter 42

She combed his bangs gently with a comb, then began to trim

the hairs on his forehead bit by bit. All of her attention was

concentrated on the task at hand.

Jason watched her. The way she studied him, so focused on her

task.

That singular focus had served her well in her life-first with her

education and graduating top of her class at University and later

at Law School. And then in surviving prison.

Guilt stabbed at him.

He saw how she’d been abused in the time that he knew her.

What must her life be like behind bars, with no one to champion or protect her, and countless criminals coming after her all in the hopes of pleasing him?

She sucked in a breath and he hung on to that little sound.

Her mouth was pretty. Full lips, a bright smile.

She didn’t smile enough, he realized.

Her skin was still red, likely from the wind and cold, and though it

pinkened her cheeks and nose, it only enhanced her beauty.

If he looked hard enough, he could see that she’d been beautiful

once.

Her features carried symmetry and character.

But it wasn’t the outward appearance that drew him, but rather

what came from within.

This woman… she’d been the one to fight for him. To sacrifice so that he could have a roof over his head, warm clothes, and something good to eat. She’d asked for nothing in return.

And knowing that she appreciated him for him… awakened something inside him.

unknown amount of time, her voice

It was as if time spent with her passed

him for a while. “My skill isn’t too bad. In fact, it’s rather good,

dry towel and flicked off the fine strands of

a shower,” Grace said.

keep their bills low, he didn’t set the shower to hot as he normally would. Warm water rushed over his body as he stepped in and lowered his head to rinse away any shorn

had grown

saw it, he would think of

woman who had abandoned him and his

thing he had left

recalled her pushing him away as he knelt and begged her not to leave, and not to abandon him and his father.

shaken her head and pried his hands

aside so she could leave, he’d fallen

of rebar. Jason’s memories didn’t remember the construction

details of the day, aside from what

into a snarl, and how he’d

the metal he fell on pierced his

the metal had

to

able to save his

time, he had told himself that

his mother.

walled himself off.

death, he stopped

anyone.

long as he did not have expectations, he would never be disappointed.

was just

the tap, wiped his body dry

his clothes. When he walked out of the bathroom,

sitting at the table and seemed

something.

having expectations of

to seeing her smile, looking forward to

happiness.

for those moments when she looked at him with

and smiled. Her smile lit

“Jay”.

sound of his name on her

your hair,” she said

the table and saw

by her side.

original

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