He knew this would happen. It was inevitable.
He'd prepared for it, steeled himself for what would come from letting her in, and this was the price he had to pay.
At the beginning he tried to keep her outside his multi-layered walls of defense. He did things; he said things, many stupid and hurtful words to push her away, to make her leave, to make her hate him but she would not be deterred. Stephanie fought and tunneled and clawed her way through his barriers, right into the core of his heart. And once she was there, he knew he'd never allow her to leave.
Now, his greatest fear had been realized. Someone was using the love he'd tried so hard to deny against him, twisting it into a weapon to destroy his already tattered soul.
Ranger ached to touch her, told hold her in his arms one more time.
Bile wretched violently to his throat as the call disconnected. He cut is eyes to Tank, but he was already shaking his head. Too short to trace.
"Outside," Morelli said. "Now."
