Tortured Quotes

“I’m coming back for you, Camryn Blue Gardner, so you’d better be waiting for me, or I’ll just have to come find you and remind you why you fell crazy in love with me.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“I never asked to be the world’s hero. All I ever wanted was to be yours.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“You need someone to look after you while you’re looking after your son. That’s me. That’s my job because I’m making it mine and it was mine to begin with. I don’t care that you married him or that you have his last name. You’re mine. To love. To honor. And to fucking protect.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“I’ll settle for this. I’ll settle for whatever I can have of you, even if it’s just carrying you from a couch to your bed. I’ll be that guy.”
My head relaxed into the bend of his arm as he moved up the stairs. “You’ll be what guy?”
His light eyes found mine, seeming to illuminate the darkness surrounding us. “The one waiting in the wings.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“I’m a man. Staring at a woman I’ve loved, trying not to break down in front of her broken body.” His voice broke, matching the look on his face. “Trying to be strong when I’ve never in my life felt weaker. Trying to look like I can handle seeing her like this when I can’t fucking handle seeing her like this.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“I married him,” I whispered even as my hand found his chest.
“But you belong to me.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“I love you. Still. Always. There’s nothing you can say or do to change that.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“I told you forever ago that I wasn’t going anywhere. That there was no one else for me. No one else I wanted to love. Nothing can change that.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“I don’t want to make things more complicated for you, so just let me know how I can do that. Unless you want me to complicate things for you, then by all means, let me know how I can do that as well.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“When I’m with you … I remember who I was, who I am, when I’m with you.”
My heart crawled into my throat when I let myself look at him … That had been another life. I’d been another person. Who he remembered, that girl he’d loved, that person wasn’t in the woman he was staring at now. That girl had died with that boy. That woman was a mirage.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“Hey, Blue Bird.” His voice was lower, his words raspier than before. “Sorry it took me so long to make it back.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“think you need a hug. A nice warm, dripping-wet one.”

Keenan started clapping while Brecken gave me a warning look. “I’ve got your son on my shoulders. I can’t run away from you.”

I gave an overdone smile then lunged. “Exactly,” I exclaimed, winding my arms around him and wiggling the rest of my wet self against him.

Brecken let out a drawn-out groan, but he stood there and took it, hanging on to Keenan while I hung on to him. “Mature. So mature.” He sighed all dramatic-like. “Wonderful example you’re setting for your son here.”

I tipped my head up, eyebrow raised. “This coming from the man who mixed Frosted Flakes and Cocoa Puffs this morning?”

His eyebrows lifted. “I’m setting the example of how to behave like a proper five-year-old. You’re the parent. You get to set the parental example.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured

“You … That was all I thought about when I was rescued, that was all I thought about during the six years I was there. You.” He slipped a wisp of hair behind my ear. “You were what kept me alive in that hell. And you’re what will keep me alive in this one.”
“You’re free. Alive. How is this hell?”
“It might not be a wall of metal bars and a half a world if distance, but there’s still something keeping me separated from you … It’s hell to go from loving someone, thinking of them every minute of every day and thinking you’d never see them again, only to make it home and see them and realize they aren’t yours to love anymore.”
― Nicole Williams, Tortured