“Why did you walk away from me?” he demands. “Because you love me, damn it!” I cry out. In a softer voice, I add, “I’m terrified. I can handle fists. I can handle bruises and broken bones and split skin. That shit heals.” He winces when I talk. “But love…that shit hurts, Stone. When you peel it back, what’s underneath? What kind of danger lurks there?”
