Abby’s chest felt like it was splitting open. She pulled away from Joe as he clutched at his own chest, groaning in pain.
She scooted backward across the floor until an arm slid around her shoulders from behind, solid and unyielding.
“Just accept his rejection,” her father whispered in her ear, wrapping a second arm around her to steady her as she trembled.
“No,” she cried, trying to twist away from his grasp, panic clawing up her throat.
“Abby,” her father pleaded, his voice laced with strain and something dangerously close to desperation, “he’s doing this to protect you.”
“No!” she cried again, the word tearing out of her. “I won’t accept it.”
Joe was lying flat on his back on the floor, his hands grabbing uselessly at his chest as another groan tore free from him.
She was vaguely
