(The scars covered every inch of her back, wounds inflicted not only to cause pain, but to leave a lasting memory of the pain. A traffic accident had ripped her away for nine months – nine months of history, nine months of Ella's childhood – returned her feeling lost and irrelevant. God, he'd sworn he would keep her safe from this part of his life, he'd sworn he'd keep her safe—)
"It's just me," he bit out the words, hard and tight, as he adjusted his route. "Nobody else. I'll come willingly, long as you leave her out of it."