Chapter 119

She didn't say a word but latched onto him tighter, giving off the vibe that she was trying to drag him down to lie beside her. The thunder outside was fading, but the rain kept hammering down, like buckets pouring straight onto the roof. Nelson Cooper glanced down at the girl next to him, lips pressed into a thin line. After a long moment, unable to keep staring at the faint bruises scattered over her skin, he reached out, trying to pull her shirt back over her shoulder. The second his warm fingers touched her skin, she jolted up like a spring, eyes wide. "What are you doing?" she asked, staring straight at him. His hand froze in mid-air. Caught off guard, Nelson didn't know whether to pull back or keep going. After a pause, he withdrew his hand and looked away. "Your shirt's falling off. Fix it." She'd moved so suddenly that the white shirt had slid down her shoulder, the pale skin beneath flashing faintly in the dark. He quickly looked away. Claire slowly lowered her head with a puz