“What’s this?” I run my fingers across a faded scar right where her vertebrae ends. “What happened here?” Alina’s breaths go shallow. She grips the edge of our accessory counters, head sinking. My eyes narrow with concern as I notice the sudden spike in her anxiety. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” I say, my voice gentle and reassuring. “I just want you to know I’m here for you, no matter what.” I kiss the top of her head to ease her worries. To let her know I’ve got her back, literally and figuratively. “It’s— Uh— It’s a long story, Azeer.” “I’m listening, sweetheart.” I pull
  
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