the man who had tried to take you away from her.”
I closed my eyes.
“Did you?”
“Try to take me?”
“No. Did you want to?”
“I wanted you safe. I thought those were the same thing.”
His words echoed Claire’s letter.
Love had made a wall around me.
“I’m not safe now,” I said.
Samuel’s voice tightened.
“What happened?”
“I lost my home. I’ve been homeless for eight months.”
He was quiet for several seconds.
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t need pity.”
“I know. I’m not offering pity. I’m offering
