Page 56 of Her Captivated Hero

“Gray, was a woman hurt on your mission?”

His eyes widened.

She lifted her hand. “I don’t want any details. I’m not trying to pry, I know that’s not how we can operate if we’re going to be a couple. But I needed to understand why you were acting like you were.”

Gray ripped open the bandage and tenderly applied it to her skin, then heaved off of the bed. “I’m reacting the way I am because I don’t want the woman I care for to be injured, or in pain, or to risk further damage on my watch.”

Riya saw the way he was clenching his fist. He stalked over to her dresser, Einstein had to run to avoid being trampled. Gray was oblivious. That meant he was really upset. She took a deep breath. Somehow she needed to fix this. She fought back her panic.

Think.

She took a deep breath.

Truth.

She needed to come clean.

“I was sad,” she blurted out.

Gray tilted his head. “Huh?”

“I was sad because I was missing you. I was worried about you being on a mission. I didn’t figure it all out until today that that was the reason I was so itchy. Gray, it wasn’t a big deal. It was all in my head. Sad and worried makes me scratch myself.”

He went stock still.

His voice was a low rumble. “So I was the one who caused this? It was because of me?”

Oh, shit.

He sounded like a wounded animal.

“No, of course it’s not your fault,” she cried. “It was all me.”

He marched over and rested his fists on either side of her hips. “Don’t lie. Don’t sugar-coat this, Riya. You were hurting so badly, that you tore at your skin until you bled!”

Her hands shot up and cupped his cheeks, she barely noticed the sheet slipping down her body. “This is not your fucking issue.”

“Bullshit.” His breath was hot.

She could feel tears building. This was big. This was monumental. She needed to diffuse this. He needed to think, not feel.

“Do I look like her?” she asked calmly.

She could see Gray’s immediate understanding. “No, you look nothing like her,” he answered slowly.

She didn’t say anything, just let him gnaw on that for long moments. She noted that his shoulders relaxed the tiniest little bit.

“But Riya, ultimately it was because you worried about me that caused you to hurt yourself.”

She nodded. “But I finally figured it out. I’ll get it under control. It was a gut reaction because I care so deeply.” She gave him a small smile. “Ring a bell?”

He sat back on his haunches. “Maybe.”

She stifled a giggle.

“Are you going to laugh at me? Because I might have to retaliate.”

She sighed in relief. Crisis diverted.