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She didn't know what she'd expected when she finally told someone the grimy truth after all these years but seeing Nick furious, bristling with rage and ready to defend her, she knew she'd made a mistake bottling all this up.
'That bastard! I'll kill him.’
If they were to have a future, she needed to tell Nick everything.
'When I came to you ten years ago and asked you to leave, it wasn't out of some misguided romantic notion. I had to leave. His escalating violence left me no option.'
He swore, viciously and voraciously, clenching his hands as if he'd like to thump something, preferably Darby.
'He changed the moment Mum left. Then when we got the news that Mum died a year after she'd run off, the abuse escalated. A shove here, a bump there.' She swiped a hand over her eyes, determined not to shed one more wasted tear over her lousy father. 'Then he hit me. That's when I knew I had to get out, as far away as I could get.'
'You should've told me. I would've protected you.'
His cold-as-steel voice sent a shiver down her spine.
'How? You had a farm to run, your dad needed your help. Besides, I asked—“
'And I turned you down.' He swore again and thumped his fist on the table. 'If I'd known—'
'We'd already drifted apart, you'd pulled away from me emotionally, so I guess it came as no surprise when you said no.'
Another curse ripped through the air as he rubbed his neck.
'I'm sorry, sweetheart, I was an insecure jerk who pushed you away before you woke up one day and realised you were slumming it.'
Her mouth dropped open, his rueful expression annoying her more than his ludicrous assumption.
'Since when did I ever give you the impression I was slumming it? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.'
She refrained from stamping her foot as he laid his hands out to her, palms up, in surrender.
'People talked, I foolishly listened. Not that I needed a reason to sabotage us.'
'What does that mean?'
Shaking his head, he thrust his hands into his pockets, but not before she'd seen them clench so hard the knuckles stood out.
'It means I was so devastated about my mother running out on me, I didn't want to allow another woman to get close, let alone love her. When we first got involved I thought you had the perfect family. Two parents, money, everything you could possibly want while I had nothing to offer you.'
She held up her hand, stopped him. 'It was never about the money. Surely you knew me better than that?'
'I guess I knew deep down, but I didn't want to trust. How could someone like you love a nobody like me?'
It was her turn to swear and he smiled. 'You can't reason with a young, proud male, especially one trying to hide his insecurities behind a black leather jacket and a motorbike. But I've grown up, wised up.'
He took a step towards her, another. 'I didn't come after you last time because I was too proud and too stupid to risk being hurt. But now is different, I'm different, and it hurts too damn much being without you so here I am.'
She'd wised up too, and if there was one thing she'd learned over the last decade it was to fight for what she wanted.
'It's good we've been honest if we're to—' She faltered, swallowed.
Was she really doing this? Giving them a chance? Ignoring her doubts, ignoring the sterile way their marriage started, ignoring the fear that screamed she'd imploded the first time she'd lost Nick, losing him again if this didn't work would finish her off?
'What?'
'Have a future,' she murmured, her eyes not leaving his, her heart's choice vindicated by the explosion of elation in his unwavering stare.
His exuberant whoop echoed in the cavernous room as he picked her up and twirled her around until she was breathless from laughing.
