smiled. “I’ll pass.”
“Come on. You haven’t had dessert all weekend. One little cake won’t kill you.” His words sliced deeper than he could possibly imagine.
“I shouldn’t,” she said, more firmly.
He set the Tink on top of the box. His brow furrowed as if he had something difficult to say but wasn’t sure how. “You know, you say that a lot.”
“Say what?”
“‘I shouldn’t’ or ‘I can’t.’ And there’s an edge to your voice when I ask about eating something sweet.”
Damn. He’d noticed. “So?”
“So I wonder if there’s something behind that. You’re brilliant and accomplished, and you’ve got an amazing body. Nothing stops you, except when it comes to something as silly as dessert.”
“It’s not silly.” The words flew from her mouth with more force than she’d expected.
His expression softened. “It’s just a little snack cake.”
He had no idea what he was talking about. “It’s so much more than that,” she snapped.
Jack gently grasped her hand. “I don’t mean to upset you, and I’m only asking because I care, but do you have an eating disorder?”
“What?” She retreated, barely able to believe what she’d just heard.
“I once had an employee who had an unhealthy relationship with food. She bought a lot of junk food too, except she binged it.”
Raven winced. “God, no. I do not have an eating disorder.”
“So, I’m totally off base about your reaction to this Tink.” He reached for the yellow cake beside her and held it up in front of her.
“Get that away from me,” she cried, batting it from his hand.
Shit. If he’d harbored any doubts, that overreaction confirmed his suspicions.
Raven glared at the Tinks box. “Why did you bring that up here?”
“No, I really was curious how they tasted and thought we’d eat them together. But clearly, you want nothing to do with them, and I’m guessing, any of the other stuff in the kitchen. I just don’t understand why.”
She shook her head. “You can’t.”
No one could, which was why she’d never breathed a word of her terrible secret.
“I’d like to.”
“You won’t. And you’ll hate me.”
“That’s impossible.” His voice was soft and sympathetic.
“You will.” Her voice broke. God, she felt like she was losing her mind.
His hand caressed the side of her face. “How do you know if you don’t try? Help me understand.”
Jack’s touch was so warm and tender that it almost convinced her everything would be okay if she just unburdened herself. But some things were unforgivable. She’d learned that lesson young and would carry it the rest of her life. Still, she was weary from bearing the burden of her pain, grief, and guilt for twenty-four years on her own.
“Raven, please.” Jack squeezed her hand, urging her on.
She wasn’t sure if it was the kindness in his voice, the gentleness of his touch, or the way he’d made love to her, but something inside Raven shifted, diminished her resolve, and allowed her to trust him. He was offering her a lifeline, one she desperately needed.
Raven lifted her head and looked him square in the eye. “I killed my mother.”
Chapter 16
Jack shook his head, stunned horror etched on his face. “That can’t be true.”
“It is.” Her voice was as flat and cold as a sheet of ice.
“Raven, you were seven, and it was a car accident.”
“Which I caused. It was my fault.”
“How could that be?” He searched her gaze.
“Does it matter? I just told you I did something horrible that cost my mother her life. Because of me, my sisters grew up motherless. My father lost his wife and never married again. It’s the reason I’m so screwed up.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t see how a child could have caused so much damage. And I have no idea what this has to do with the Tinks.”
“Jesus.” Raven raked her fingers through her long, dark hair. She’d admitted her most closely held secret, and he’d basically called her a liar. “I don’t think I can do this.”
He clasped her hand. “No, don’t give up. I want to understand.”
The only way to do that was to reach into her memory and unlock the details of that terrible day. That required a strength she wasn’t sure she had. For more than two decades, Raven hadn’t told a soul what had really happened. People were so quick to accept that her mother had simply skidded off the side of the road that cold, rainy night. They never thought to ask why.
Raven looked into Jack’s eyes and saw his honest desire to comprehend what she’d gone through.
His grip tightened on