READER SHOUT OUT: Thank you Hillarylzs59, Mary_Cooper, and Nessa52268 for your continued to support for Dane & Lila's story. You humble me!
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DANE
Her chin trembled and she stroked his arm. He was breathing hard.
"I don't mean that you say you'll never do anything to protect me, Dane," she said softly. "I'm just asking you to talk to me. To see if we can find a way that doesn't cost you everything. See if we can fix stuff together, instead of it always being just you."
Dane was blown away. He'd never thought about it this way before. "I… I don't know, Lila. I don't know if I know how to live that way. But I'm willing to try. I love you." He met her eyes and she was crying, but she was also, finally smiling. "I promise you, Lila. I promise if I understand that that's happening, I'll do it. Or won't do it. But you have to promise me something, too."
"What?"
