When we arrive, a strange flutter of nerves erupts in my belly as Judge leads me to Theron’s room. Quite honestly, I never thought I’d have to face him again. I never wanted to. But I know now, after Judge confirmed Theron has been struggling with addiction, that he’s been battling his own demons. It isn’t an excuse for what happened, but at least in a way, I can understand.

I am not without sin myself, and if I were following my religious scruples, I shouldn’t be the one to cast stones. In other words, I’ve done some pretty fucked-up things in my own life, and coming from that place, I understand there has to be space for forgiveness. Not only for his sake, but my own.

“You can always change your mind.” Judge stops at the door with Theron’s name beside it, his hand squeezing mine. “I’ll take you home right now if you want.”

“No.” I force a smile and shake my head. “I want to do this.”

He nods, but the concern doesn’t leave his eyes. And then, just like we’re ripping off a Band-Aid, he opens the door, and we step inside.

I don’t know what I’m expecting exactly, considering the severity of Theron’s injuries and the fact that he barely scraped through. In my head, I imagined him lying prone in his bed, barely able to fend for himself. Yet the scene before us is anything but a helpless man.

He is in his bed, of course, but he’s propped up by a stack of pillows behind him. The low murmur of the television plays in the background, but he’s not focused on that. No, his attention is on the two pretty nurses at his side, one fussing over his food while the other shaves his face. Both of them wearing smiles entirely too large.

Judge arches a brow at the scene just as Theron returns it with a devilish grin. That grin falters briefly as he turns his attention to me, and something shifts in the room. I feel it in the shiver that moves over my spine, the memory of that awful night not too distant.

In some ways, it feels like a lifetime ago. But in others, the wound feels fresh because it hasn’t been dealt with. Not really. When I came to face him, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But this charming version of Theron is the one that I first met. The man with the handsome features and easy smile. A quick wit, which he’s obviously been using to entertain the nurses. All of these details were so non-threatening that I quickly warmed to him. But I know, even now with his eyes clear and the solemn expression that falls over him, he still has demons to battle.