No More Wishing 7/12
banner by: jennyspring
Title: No More Wishing
Chapter: 7/12
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 5,767
Summary: After escaping from the VRA, Oliver decides to cash in his wish with Zatanna to undo his mistake. But things don't exactly work out the way he planned.
Previous Chapters: One Two Three Four Five Six
Chapter Seven: The Scars of Your Love
banner by: geek_or_unique
It was nearly nightfall by the time Chloe and Oliver returned to Watchtower. Since there hadn’t been any rain in the atmosphere, releasing the cure into the air didn’t have quite the same effect as it had the last time they’d lived through this since there was no moisture to mix it with. Once they’d gotten back on the ground, Chloe and Oliver had been forced to track down the remaining zombies and administer the cure through injections. Even with Tess, Emil and AC out on the streets as well, it had still taken hours to find everyone who was infected and most of them had put up a fight.
Chloe was exhausted and all she wanted was a hot shower and a warm bed but she knew she needed to double check the system first and make sure they really had gotten all of the zombies. She moved to the main computer and started looking over the databases. She watched Oliver out of the corner of her eye as he moved around the room with his hands in his pockets. He’d been fairly quiet since the brief conversation they’d had on the plane and she was trying to give him some space to work things out in his head. She could practically see the frustration pouring out of him and she wished there was something she could do.
She bit her lip as she focused on the screens again and switched to the security feeds in the center of the city that had been put back online. Chloe knew there was something she could do - she could tell Oliver everything. But she still thought it would be better for him to remember on his own. She could sit there with him and lay out all of the facts but it still wouldn’t be the same for either one of them. Maybe it was extremely selfish of her, but Chloe wanted Oliver to remember that he loved her without having to plant the idea in his head.
“Maybe I should go out and patrol for a few hours,” Oliver said, drawing her attention away from the screen. He was restless and even though things were less awkward between him and Chloe after fighting zombies for hours, he still felt like he was letting her down. He was tired of being useless and at least if he was out on the streets as Green Arrow he would feel like he was doing something.
“Oliver, I really don’t think that’s a good idea,” Chloe replied. They’d been awake for almost two days straight and everyone needed a break. AC had already taken Tess back to Smallville and he was going to stay with her at the mansion in case Zod showed up again. They’d agreed to meet back at Watchtower the next afternoon once everyone had a chance to rest and regroup so they could attempt to figure out what their next step was going to be.
Chloe understood that it wasn’t easy for Oliver to just sit back and doing nothing but she didn’t want to risk him getting hurt. They had stopped the zombies but crime was still rampant in the city and she didn’t think it was a good idea for him to go out without any backup. “We all need a break, Ollie. It’s not a good idea to push yourself too hard,” she said. Chloe knew she wouldn’t be able to stop him if he’d made up his mind but she really hoped that he would listen to reason.
Once again, Oliver found himself unable to say no to her. He could see that she really didn’t want him to go and Oliver didn’t want to upset Chloe anymore than he already had. “You’re probably right,” he agreed. Oliver knew it wouldn’t hurt to get some sleep. Maybe he’d get lucky and wake up with more of his memory intact. “Do you want to head back to my place?” he asked.
Chloe’s heart ached as she remembered all the times he’d asked her that before. At one point, she’d gotten into a bad habit of crashing at Watchtower instead of making the drive back to Smallville at the end of the night. Oliver had broken her of that pretty quickly after they’d started their relationship. She’d protested a lot in the beginning but it had been nearly impossible to argue with him when he would just remind her all the reasons it was better for them to share a bed than sleep alone.
But Chloe doubted that was what he had in mind now. She gave him a smile that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes and nodded. “That sounds good. I just need a few more minutes to make sure everything is status quo.” She was also going to need time to adjust to how lonely it was going to be sleeping in his guest room but that wasn’t something she was going to bring up.
“Take your time,” Oliver replied quietly. He could see that something was bothering her but she obviously wasn’t going to tell him. “Let me know if you need anything,” he added before he moved past her, walking toward the stained glass window once again.
Chloe sighed. She felt guilty that she couldn’t seem to go five minutes without upsetting him. Even before the events of the last year, Oliver had known her well and he’d always been able to read her. She couldn’t hide her feelings for him and if she wasn’t careful, Chloe was pretty sure he was going to figure out that she was in love with him even if he didn’t remember being in love with her too.
The security cameras didn’t show any signs of zombie activity but Chloe could see the police scanner was starting to pick up. She shut off the sound and tried not to feel guilty about all the people they were leaving to fend for themselves. She turned around to tell Oliver she was ready to go and felt a sharp stinging in her shoulder. Chloe shifted her arm and she could see her blouse was torn and stained with blood. She assumed it must have been from one of the many zombie confrontations she’d been in. She walked toward the cabinet to grab the first aid kit so she could patch herself up before they left.
Oliver was staring out the window at the quiet street below. He knew it wouldn’t remain that way long and he wanted to get Chloe back to the clock tower before it wasn’t safe to be on the streets. She’d told him that crime hadn’t been this bad the first time they’d gone through 2009 but Clark had been around then. Oliver didn’t understand why he was just gone or why Lois was too. Then again, he was starting to feel like he didn’t understand anything anymore.
He turned away from the window to see if Chloe was almost done and his eyes widened in shock. Chloe was standing on the other side of the room in a lacy green bra, her blouse tossed carelessly on the counter as she opened a first aid kit and pulled out an alcohol swab. Oliver watched as she attempted to clean a cut on her shoulder. He could see that she was having trouble with the angle and Oliver knew he should probably go over there and help her but he couldn’t seem to get his mouth to say the words. His brain was too busy trying to process the fact that she was half-naked.
Oliver knew he had been at a disadvantage since the moment Chloe had walked into his room and announced that she needed his help. His mind was stuck in 2009 and almost everything was new to him while Chloe, Tess and AC all remembered already living through this year. But even as things started coming back to him, Oliver was still having trouble picturing the Chloe he knew willingly stripping off her shirt with him in the room. He knew she was injured but Chloe was also modest and he wondered when exactly that had changed.
He was tempted to ask her but Oliver could see that she was getting frustrated as she tried to bend her arm a different way. “Do you need some help?” he asked hesitantly as he crossed the room to her.
Chloe nodded gratefully as she gestured to the first aid kit that held the antiseptic and the bandages. “Thanks, my arm doesn’t want to bend that way so I can’t reach it,” she explained.
Oliver couldn’t seem to stop his eyes from lingering on her breasts encased beneath the green lace as his mind drifted to the moment they’d shared earlier where all he’d wanted to do was kiss her. He quickly jerked his head up to meet her gaze. Oliver expected her to reprimand him, but Chloe’s green eyes were on his and she looked almost hopeful. It reminded Oliver of the way she’d looked at him when she’d been sprawled across him in his bed.
Needing a distraction, Oliver turned toward the table to grab an antiseptic wipe from the first aid kit. As he did, his mind flashed back to a different day. He’d been the one with the cuts and he’d been sitting on the desk while Chloe stood in front of him trying to get rid of all the blood on his face and neck. He remembered squirming each time she pressed against him and doing his best not to stare at her despite the fact that he’d been enjoying her close proximity.
“Ollie?” Chloe asked uncertainly. She could tell by the look on his face that he was remembering something. She laid her hand on his arm and waited for him to look at her. “What is it?” she asked.
“We were here and I was hurt,” Oliver said. He could see it clearly in his head. He must have been out on patrol or on a mission because he’d been in his Green Arrow gear minus the hood and glasses. Chloe had been annoyed with him for some reason and he’d been annoyed too, but not with her. “Big Bird,” he muttered. His eyes drifted from Chloe to the window. “He threw me through the window.”
Chloe tried not to laugh at the outraged look on his face. “That was Carter,” she supplied. “We met him and Courtney and Dr. Fate…” She clamped her mouth shut, regretting the mention of Dr. Fate instantly. It had been his helmet that had led to the two of them being separated and Chloe really didn’t want Oliver to remember that pain before he remembered the rest of their relationship.
He didn’t seem to notice that she’d abruptly cut herself off. “Icicle,” Oliver said as he recalled saving Courtney from him in an alley. Carter had grabbed him after that and thrown him through the window. He couldn’t remember anything past Chloe cleaning his cuts. “That’s all I remember,” he said.
“That’s a lot, Ollie,” Chloe replied. She rubbed her hand over his arm, trying to offer him some comfort as she ignored the excitement that was brewing inside of her. Their encounter with the JSA and Icicle had happened right before they’d started seeing each other. He’d already remembered something from the night he’d taken her and John out to dinner. His memories seemed to be coming back stronger and clearer and she couldn’t stop herself from thinking that maybe he’d remember something specific about their relationship next.
Oliver didn’t think it was nearly enough but he nodded and reached for the antiseptic again. “I guess another thing I missed is the part where you started getting undressed in front of me,” he commented.
Chloe groaned inwardly as she felt her cheeks turning red. She hadn’t given a second thought to taking off her blouse to treat the cut because it wasn’t like Oliver hadn’t seen her a lot more naked than this. Too bad she’d conveniently forgotten the part where he didn’t know that. She decided she was just going to blame this one on her being too tired to think clearly.
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” Chloe quickly turned her back to him so he could bandage her shoulder. After that, she’d grab one of the spare blouses she kept in the closet and hopefully they could leave and pretend this hadn’t happened.
Oliver frowned. Her reaction wasn’t exactly what he’d expected. He knew he should be used to the fact that he was clearly missing something huge and she wasn’t going to fill in the blanks for him, but it still bothered him. He reached out, gently slipped the green strap down her shoulder and started to clean the cut with the antiseptic wipe.
“I know it stings,” he said quietly when he felt her jump at the contact.
The sting was the last thing on her mind. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as every nerve ending in her body came alive from his simple touch. It had been so long since he’d had his hands on her skin. He was barely touching her, but she could feel the familiar heat spreading through her as her mind relived just how good he could make her feel. She bit down on her lip to keep herself from moaning.
“It’s not as deep as it looks,” Oliver said. He didn’t see any shards of glass in the wound so he wiped away the dried blood and then cleaned it with another antiseptic wipe. When he was done, he tossed the wipes on the table and covered the cut with a small bandage. “I don’t think it will scar.”
The simple word triggered something in his head. Oliver felt like he was falling through some kind of tunnel as images bombarded his brain from all sides. These weren’t like the little flashes he’d had before. Instead, it was like someone was playing a video of his life on fast-forward. At first, they were coming too fast for him to focus on any of them clearly but then his own words rang out plain as day.
“Sometimes they can be kind of cute too.”
Chloe was pulled from her own thoughts when she felt his grip tighten almost painfully on her arm. She glanced back at him over her shoulder and frowned when she saw the stricken look on his face. “Ollie, what is it? Are you all right?”
Instead of answering, Oliver gripped her other arm as well and turned her around to face him. His dark eyes bore into hers as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing, what he was feeling. The video that was playing through his head was moving in slow motion now and he could see each moment clearly. His brain was still trying to catch up and make sense of everything and he had no choice but to wait for his head to clear.
“Ollie, please talk to me,” Chloe urged. She reached up and touched his cheek, desperate to ease whatever was upsetting him. She could see that he was looking at her but he wasn’t really seeing her; at least not the version of her that was standing in front of him. Oliver was remembering something and having a hard time with whatever it was. “Ollie,” she said again, her voice pleading with him.
“Scars,” Oliver muttered. As the fog in his head started to clear he wondered if this counted as an out of body experience. His eyes dropped to her chest again and before he could stop himself, he reached out and brushed his finger along the band that dipped beneath her left breast. “You have a scar here,” he said quietly. His eyes met hers and he waited for her to confirm what he already knew to be true.
Chloe couldn’t think or focus on anything except for the fact that his finger was still brushing against her breast. Her nipples had hardened instantly, pushing against the lace of her bra and practically begging him to touch them. Chloe’s heart was pounding so loud that she knew he had to be able to hear it or at least see it as it beat against the wall of her chest. Her entire body was on alert as she ached for him to touch her the way she’d been craving since the last time they’d been together before everything had gone to hell.
Oliver knew he should say something to her; attempt to find a way to explain what he was seeing. But his hands seemed to have a mind of their own. He reached around and unclasped her bra. He waited for Chloe to stop him as he lowered the straps down her arms, but her eyes never left his, even as the garment hit the floor between them. He slowly lowered his gaze to the small scar that peaked out under the curve of her breast.
Without giving himself a chance to think about what he was doing, Oliver bent down and brushed his lips over it. He felt Chloe tremble against him and quickly grabbed her hips to keep her steady. He pressed another light kiss to her skin as his hand lightly skimmed up her side until he cupped her breast in his palm. He squeezed her gently and brushed his thumb over her hardened nipple.
“Ollie.” Chloe practically sobbed out his name as she was overcome with arousal. She pushed her breast into his hand as her fingers threaded through his hair, gripping his head tightly as she tried to push his mouth closer to her breast. His thumb moved over her nipple again and it tightened even more beneath his light touch. She could feel the ache between her legs becoming more desperate by the second and the small part of her brain that wanted to ask questions was quickly outvoted. “Please Ollie,” she breathed.
Oliver turned his head and licked her nipple. Chloe cried out and her fingers tightened in his hair. He looked up at her, holding her gaze as he took her nipple into his mouth and sucked on the hard bud. Chloe moaned his name, her eyes drifting shut as another tremor went through her entire body. He slid one hand around to her lower back as his other hand continued to knead her other breast, pinching her nipple between his thumb and index finger.
He released her nipple from his mouth and pressed a few more light kisses over her breasts before he got to his feet again. His hand was still on Chloe’s back and he pulled her body closer to his as his other hand stroked her cheek. “We were here the first time I touched you,” Oliver said, his eyes never leaving hers. “By the window,” he added as the memory of her in his arms flashed through his mind.
Chloe smiled despite the tears that welled up in her eyes. “Yes,” she said. Her chest tightened at the look in his eyes. It was the same way he’d looked at her that night when he’d taught her how to shoot an arrow; like she was the most important person in the world to him. It was the same way he’d looked at her all those months when she’d pretended not to see it even though she’d felt the same way about him. “I missed seeing you look at me like that,” she admitted quietly.
Oliver stroked her cheek and pressed a small kiss to her forehead. “I missed looking at you,” he replied honestly. He couldn’t believe anything had made him forget how much he loved looking at Chloe. He’d spent hours watching her even before he’d ever let her know that he desired her in a way that went well beyond friendship. He’d learned every expression, every nuance of the way she moved long before that night he’d finally had her in his arms. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered as he lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.
She returned the kiss eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding onto him as tightly as she could. Chloe had spent months missing him but it was the torture of the past two days that had been unbearable. Oliver had been right in front of her and she hadn’t been able to tell him or show him just how much she loved him. Now that his memory was back, Chloe never wanted to let him go again.
He deepened this kiss, his tongue sliding past her lips to stroke hers. Chloe let out a small sound from the back of her throat and Oliver groaned as he felt himself responding to her touch. He felt like an eternity had gone by since the last time he’d kissed Chloe. His hands stroked her bare back as he kissed her deeply, savoring the taste of her mouth. Oliver didn’t pull back until his lungs were burning and then he dropped his forehead against hers as he stared into her eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Chloe,” Oliver said. He felt terrible for the pain he’d put her through. It was bad enough that they were stuck in a year they’d already lived through, but she’d had to deal with him not remembering his feelings for her and pressing her for answers that she couldn’t give him. “I don’t know why this happened but I always knew that there was something here even when I couldn’t figure out what it was.”
Chloe nodded as fresh tears pooled in her eyes. She was so relieved that he remembered and that he was holding her that she didn’t care about anything else. “It doesn’t matter now, Ollie.” She cupped his face in her hands and kissed his lips. “I’m just so happy you remember. I wanted to tell you but I was afraid that if I did it would somehow change something and I didn’t want to lose you.”
“I understand,” Oliver said. He tightened his grip around her as the thought of being without her made his chest burn. He covered her mouth with his; kissing her like his life depended on it. Oliver didn’t know if it was the memory loss or the time travel or a combination of everything that had happened, but he was afraid if he let her go that she would somehow disappear. Even as he tried to tell himself that wasn’t rational, he kissed her frantically.
She felt the change in his kiss but Chloe didn’t mind the urgency. She had missed him so much that she was just as desperate as he was to make up for all the time they had lost. Chloe dropped her hands from his neck and let them trail down his arms, a fresh wave of arousal going through her as her fingers moved over his thick muscles. She grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pushed it up. Oliver took the hint and broke the kiss long enough to pull it over his head and toss it aside.
He groaned into her mouth when her fingers started tracing the lines of his abs causing his muscles to tense beneath her touch. Oliver shifted even closer, pinning Chloe’s body between his and the table so she could feel just how much he wanted her. Chloe moaned again as she rocked her hips against his, wanting to be closer but there were still too many clothes between them.
Chloe’s fingers dropped to his belt buckle but Oliver caught her hand and shook his head when she looked up at him; green eyes wide with confusion. He kissed her again before she could say anything and his hands gripped her hips as he effortlessly lifted her up and set her down on the table.
“Ollie, what are you doing?” Chloe asked as his head dropped to her neck and he started placing leisurely light kisses across her skin. His mouth felt incredible but she was pretty sure her body was going to burst if she didn’t have him the way she wanted him soon. “It’s been too long,” she said, too desperate to care about the whining she heard in her tone.
“I know,” Oliver told her patiently as he sucked on the skin around her throbbing pulse point. “It’s been too long for me to rush this, Chloe. I want to take my time and enjoy touching you.” He punctuated each word with a small kiss and Chloe was pretty sure she was going to die from the exquisite torture.
She wanted to protest but that proved impossible when his mouth closed over her nipple again and all rational thought flew straight out of her head. He massaged her other breast as he suckled her and let his other hand rest on her thigh. Chloe could feel the heat from it through her jeans and she bit her bottom lip as the throbbing ache between her legs intensified. He kissed his way across the valley between her breasts before taking her other nipple into his mouth. Chloe moaned as she slid her fingers into his hair and held his head tighter against her as he continued teasing her sensitive nub.
Oliver could tell she was getting impatient but he refused to be rushed. He’d missed being with her and he wanted to savor every touch. He kissed her stomach before swirling his tongue around her navel and making her entire body shudder. Grinning he brought his mouth to hers for another kiss as he started to undo the button and zipper on her pants. “Are you ready for me?” he whispered against her lips as he lowered the zipper.
“Ollie,” Chloe panted his name as she frantically nodded her head. She’d been ready for him since the last time they’d been together. Her body craved his touch and there had been nights over the past few months where she’d literally felt like she was going to die without him. No matter how many times she’d told herself that they’d be reunited eventually and everything would be okay, it hadn’t mattered.
He smirked as he slipped his hand into her pants and lightly brushed his fingers over the front of her panties. Chloe gasped as her hips arched off the counter, trying to get closer to his hand. Oliver traced her slit with his finger, groaning as he felt the fabric dampening under his touch. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her pants and slid them down her legs as Chloe kicked off her shoes to make it easier for him to get them off. Oliver let her pants drop to the floor and then he ran his hands slowly up her legs, stopping as he got to her thighs.
“Are you trying to kill me?” Chloe asked. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she tried to get her breathing under control. “Please Ollie,” she said. “I need you to touch me. I miss you.” Chloe grabbed his hand and placed it between her legs, not wanting to wait another second. She moaned loudly as he started stroking her through the lace.
Oliver watched her through darkened eyes as he slipped his fingers underneath the fabric and lightly rubbed the warm entrance to her body. Chloe arched off the table again and he leaned down and pressed a calming kiss to her inner thigh before reaching for the waistband of her panties and sliding them down her legs. He slid two fingers into her body and both of them groaned at the sensation.
“You’re so tight, Chloe.” Oliver started thrusting his fingers in and out of her body before he leaned down and closed his mouth over the tiny bundle of nerves. Chloe screamed his name as her thighs clamped around his head. Oliver sped up his thrusts as he felt her walls gripping his fingers. He licked her clit and then sucked it into his mouth again as Chloe fell apart. She cried out as he continued moving inside her as she rode out her orgasm.
“Oh God, Ollie,” Chloe muttered as she let her head fall back against the table. Her entire body was tingling and she couldn’t believe this was finally happening again. Oliver was kissing her inner thighs and she felt another wave of moisture swelling between her legs. “More Ollie, please, I need you.” She sat up quickly and tugged on his belt again, pulling it through the loops of his pants and tossing it on the floor with her clothes before her fingers found his zipper and carefully pulled it down.
Oliver groaned against her skin when she reached into his pants and cupped him through his boxers. Chloe started to massage him, moving her hand up and down his hardened shaft and Oliver knew he wasn’t going to last long if she kept that up. He pulled her hand out of his pants and pressed a kiss to her wrist as he let his lips travel up her arm, leaving a trail of goose bumps in his path.
“Ollie, please,” Chloe said again. She wasn’t above begging at this point. “We’ve waited long enough.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him hard. Her tongue moved past his lips to tangle with his until they were both breathless. Her eyes met his for a brief moment before she lowered her head and started kissing his chest as she let her hand slide down his body again. “I want you, Ollie.” Her hand brushed over the front of his pants and she felt him shudder.
“I want you too,” Oliver said. He stepped back from her long enough to discard his pants and boxers and then he gripped her hips and tugged her to the end of the table. He kissed her again as he slid two fingers into her body, stretching her to make sure she was ready for him. She was so tight and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. She made an impatient noise and he laughed as he pulled back to meet her gaze. “Work with me here, Sidekick,” he teased.
Chloe smiled. It had been a long time since she’d heard him call her that. “I need you, Ollie.” She knew he was trying to go slow but she didn’t want to wait. She reached for him again and wrapped her hand around his shaft, guiding him to her entrance. He pushed her hand aside and then rubbed himself along her slit until his cock was soaked in her juices. Chloe’s heart was pounding as he slowly eased himself into her body. She sucked in a sharp breath as she tried to adjust to the pressure, not wanting him to stop.
Oliver reached between their bodies and rubbed his thumb over her clit. “Relax, Chloe,” he whispered. He continued stroking her as he placed light kisses over her neck and collarbone before he dipped his head and took her nipple in his mouth again. Chloe groaned softly as the pressure melted away and she was left with pleasure at the feeling of him filling her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him tighter into her body.
“Ollie, you feel so good,” Chloe moaned as she ran her hands over his back, kneading his muscles beneath her fingers. He started moving within her and she lifted her hips off the table to meet his thrusts. “Harder, Ollie,” she urged. He was still rubbing her clit and she could already feel herself getting close to the edge again.
He gave her what she wanted, pulling nearly all the way out of her body before slamming back into her. Chloe cried out and her hips started moving faster as her fingernails dugs into his skin. Oliver scraped his teeth gently over her nipple as he applied more pressure to her clit. He thrust into her again and Chloe screamed his name as she went over the edge. Oliver felt the familiar tingle at the base of his spine as he drove himself into her again as his body shuddered, spilling himself deep inside of her as she clung to him.
Oliver’s head dropped to her shoulder as he struggled to catch his breath. Chloe’s hands were still on his back, but she was rubbing them in light circles as she kissed his shoulder gently. He wrapped his arms around her and just held her as the sounds of their harsh breathing echoed through the room. When his heart started to beat normally again, Oliver straightened himself up and stroked her cheek before pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.
Chloe smiled. “I’m so much better than okay,” she replied. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this happy, this complete. The last time they’d been together flashed through her mind but Chloe knew this time was better because she could finally say the words she’d held in for so long. “I love you so much, Ollie.”
His eyes widened in surprise and suddenly Chloe found herself filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. The smile slipped from her face as she waited for him to say something but he just continued to stare at her. Her heart hurt and she tried to think of a way to break the deafening silence but nothing came to her as fresh tears welled in her eyes. “I thought you loved me,” she said finally.
“Chloe, I do love you,” Oliver said. He snapped out the shock when he saw the tears in her eyes and quickly brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. “Chloe, I love you more than I ever knew it was possible to love anyone,” he assured her. “I just…you’ve never said that to me before and part of me didn’t think you ever would.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat but there were still warning bells going off in her head as she spoke slowly. “I’ve never had the chance to say it when I was looking into your eyes, but I told you once before. You told me too,” Chloe said as she watched him closely.
Oliver’s face fell as he recognized the familiar hope in her eyes and knew he was going to hurt her again. “Chloe, I don’t remember that,” he replied.
Eight.