Something fractured in the abyss of his gaze. A breath barreled out of him. And another. Thoughts churned in his eyes, and I knew he was imagining what I’d endured.

Oh, Ashley. No. He looked so horrified. So bleak and devastated.

“You didn’t know.” I released a sigh of dawning realization. “You didn’t know what would become of me here.”

“I should have. I should have never left.” He freed the shackles on my arms and legs, removed the iron neck ring, and pulled me onto his lap. “By God, I never wanted to leave you.”

His embrace and the vehemence of his words centered me in a way nothing else could. I hadn’t realized how badly I needed his protective strength until I felt it embrace me again.

My hand went to the jade stone at my throat, touching it for the first time since I’d been transported here.

“I thought this would be the safest place to keep you while I…” He hugged me tighter against his blood-soaked frock and choked on a pained sound. His huge hand cradled my wrist as if it might break, his gaze fixated on the chafed, angry red skin. “I failed. Goddammit, I failed you so fantastically.”

“Ashley.” My mind hung onto his unfinished sentence. “You wanted me safe while you did what? Did you find Priest Farrell?”

Please, say no. Please, say no.

“I found the brothel.” He gently set me on the deck and leaned back to remove his soiled frock and cravat. “He used to live there, just like you said. But…” His gaze moved over my nude body in starts and stops, and his jaw grew impossibly more rigid. “You’ve lost so much weight. Your goddamn bones are protruding.”

He yanked off his linen shirt, which had avoided most of the blood. I looked away and wrapped my arms around my torso, feeling repulsively unattractive and hating myself for that shame.

“Don’t do that.” With a knuckle under my chin, he lifted my head and searched my eyes, letting me see his sincerity, his undeniable reverence. “Perhaps you have new cracks. Way down deep. Cracked but not broken. Look at you, Goldilocks. You didn’t break.”

“I’m not a warrior. Confound it, you saw me on that barrel…” I shook my head vigorously. “I just did what I had to do, and most of the time, it was nothing. There was nothing I could do but breathe.”

“I wager that breathing hurt the most.”

Heat swelled behind my eyes, surging tears.

“Christ, your courage and resilience are awe-inspiring.” His thumb stroked my cheek. “You’ve never looked more beautiful than you do now.”

“Thank you.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m letting anyone else see you uncovered.” He pulled the shirt over my head, tenderly guiding my arms through the sleeves.