MINE TO CLAIM
“He was—protective. Maybe too protective, but he never hurt me. Never threatened me. He just wanted to keep me safe.”
“Safe from what?”
“From people who wanted to use me to hurt him.” Ava looked at each of their faces, seeing the confusion and concern there. “I know it sounds strange, but he’s not the monster everyone thinks he is.”
Owen and Cara exchanged a look that spoke of thirty years of marriage and shared worry about their children.
“Sweetheart,” Cara said slowly, “sometimes when we’re in dangerous situations, we can develop feelings for people who help us survive. It’s called Stockholm syndrome, and it’s very real.”
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