Chapter 52 Buried Wounds

• Adrian lay staring at the ceiling, trying to untangle the storm of emotions that had taken root inside him. His thoughts circled endlessly around Sienna Hart. He enjoyed her company more than he had expected. She was strong, determined, and unafraid to explore the things he wanted, but her sudden outburst of jealousy and the temper she had shown weighed heavily on him.
• He asked himself questions he did not have easy answers to. Was he pulling away from her simply because of the scars Vanessa had left behind? Was his judgment clouded, too quick, too harsh? Should he have shared more with Sienna, told her about his father and the endless burden of responsibility he carried?
• That last question stung the most. He knew the answer, though it was one he avoided admitting to himself. Vanessa had known about his father's state only because her uncle had been involved in the kind of shadowed business that thrived on desperation. The man had warned her about Adrian, told her he had abandoned his father to his own ruin rather than pay off his gambling debts. The thought filled Adrian with both anger and guilt.