Chapter 303

Claire's thoughts were all over the place. She didn't want to think about the man lying in that hospital bed, too weak to even sit up. But her mind just wouldn't stop picturing what he might look like after—maybe a terrible scar across his face, strange looks from strangers, and her own chest tight with guilt. Trying to shake it off, Claire popped the cap off the ointment and focused on applying it. Doing something—anything—felt better than just sitting there drowning in her thoughts. But as she rolled up her thin sleeve, the old scars on her arm showed up clearly in the light. Time had faded them a little, but compared to the untouched skin around them, they were still loud. Still brutal. And near the fresh bruise from earlier, the red and purple tones stood harshly against her pale skin. Dominic had meant to check if the mark he accidentally left was bad, but the moment he caught sight of her arm, his whole body tensed. Those scars—thin, long, deliberate—were clearly from a blade. Th