CHAPTER SIX

With my breath hitched in my throat, I slowly unwrap my arms from around Brandon's waist. His tone is icy enough to chill me to the marrow. My face takes on a look of genuine confusion when I see the utter disgust on his face.

He takes a few steps back and crosses his arms over his chest. "I don't need you to be the sort of wife that I deserve, Natalie. I only need you to keep to your end of the bargain."

My mouth hangs open. What is wrong with this man? Here I am feeling sad for him and his auto response is disrespect? Trying hard to shove down the embarrassment that I feel, I count to five in my head and head to the bathroom. Better to remember that Brandon went through a childhood that shaped him into a hard man.

I turn on the shower and let the water flow. Now that I know how Brandon's childhood was, I can understand why he is so hard wrung. Of course, I can't let him know that I know. If he suspects that I pity him, he is bound to become defensive and push me further away.

When I