章 22: Rain

"Did he do anything to you?" 

"The Crown Prince?" I asked. Carlisle had moved me to the bed, swaddling me in blankets as he puffed on his pipe. The smoke was oddly calming; it felt nice to have some ritual. I hated how dependent I was becoming on him. 

I looked at my hand, flexing my fingers; all he did was touch me. I didn't want to sound stupid. To touch me, wasn't a crime. I was just for the purview of others. I existed to please people around me. That was all I was. 

"You can tell me." 

Could I tell him? What I wanted to tell him was to love me, keep me here and keep me close to his heart so that no one could harm me. I wanted to tell him that I was terrified that he would abandon me. No, I was more terrified that I didn't want to leave him. I had expectations for him. I had started to trust him.

I wanted to tell him that somehow, I had given him a piece of my heart.