Metallic Heart by Liahona West

Author:Liahona West [West, Liahona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic Romance
Publisher: Liahona West
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

***

Kendal finished her sutures within half an hour. She sighed and put the needle and horsehair thread in the bowl. “Please take care of yourself. I do not want to start sewing scars back together because you have no more space left to fill.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She walked away, grumbling.

Eloise sat at the foot of the bed and he ignored her as he dressed. The stitches stung.

“Can we talk about the mall?”

“There’s nothing to say.”

Eloise released an exasperated sigh. “Yes, there is, and you know it. I’m not going to tiptoe around you like you seem to expect me to do. It’s infuriating sometimes. And Bannack…” She touched his knee, which made him shiver. He turned to her as she continued. “You killed a man in cold blood. You’re lucky he wasn’t connected to the village.”

“That is what you’re worried about?” He laughed and pushed her hand away. “I told you I was one of Joy’s agents and you’re more concerned with a dead man?”

No emotion touched her face as she looked at him. “I’m surprised you aren’t.”

“Look,” he sighed and rubbed his face. “I was trained to kill, to force my emotions out of my mind, and do what needed to be done to get my reward. It was selfish of me and cruel of the man who trained me. Joy let the abuse happen. She wanted it to happen. I did not have the luxury of safety. Kill or be killed. That is it.” A slight growl rolled off his tongue. “So, forgive me if I don’t behave the way you want.”

“It’s not about what I want.” Eloise glared at him. “It’s about who you can become. You are terrifying and it’s taking all of my willpower to sit here and not be afraid of you. I still do, because I believe you are capable of great kindness.”

He looked at his hands. His jaw worked, and he sniffed.

She’s right. I can’t expect her fear of me to drive her away, but how can I not expect it when I have known nothing else?

Eloise continued. “Pull yourself together. We aren’t given this life to destroy ourselves out of self-pity or hatred.” She stood in front of him. When he refused to look at Eloise, she kept on talking. “This life is to better who we are, to take our mistakes of the past and move past them, not let them fester in an open wound. If you keep talking like the way you are, she’s won. You are giving her power over you still. Don’t give her the satisfaction. You say you didn’t honor your family in death and maybe that’s true…years ago but honor them now. Honor them by picking yourself up and loving yourself enough to do better. Be better! Start now. It—it can be a new beginning. You’re not the only one to have experienced trauma.”

Eloise’s last words brought his gaze to her face. She watched him, calm. He chewed on her words for a moment, blinking through the angry and frustrated tears that blurred his vision.

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