Free Unbroken by Lynne Connolly

in the other room. And it was life-sized, not larger than life.
    “It’s so beautiful.” She hadn’t even realised she’d spoken until she heard her voice.
    “It’s you.”
    He’d created this figure with love. It poured from every smooth line, every tousled strand of hair. “This is what I saw. You. The woman I fell in love with. You are there in every line. If I lose you, then I have this, but it’s a poor substitute for reality.”
    She read the single word decorating the plinth. Unbroken. She choked and turned into his arms. “Then why did you push me away ?“
    His hands closed around her back, held her tightly. “Because I panicked. Because I behaved in an incredibly stupid way. I was scared. Thought I was getting in too deep and it would change the way I worked. A few hours after you left, I called you, but you’d already gone. I wanted to tell you how sorry I was—am. How stupid. Vashti , if you believe nothing else, believe me now. I love you. Always and forever. Whatever you do. You can denounce me to the press, trash me to everyone you meet, and I’ll still love you.”
    She sagged, no longer able to support herself, but it wasn’t just the surge of relief and love that overwhelmed her.
    He caught her and swung her off her feet. Alarm coloured his voice. “Fuck, Vashti , you’re bleeding. What have you done?”
    She looked down at her pants. Blood stained one leg, a mere dark mark on the dark fabric, hardly noticeable. But he’d noticed.
    “I had an operation. I couldn’t walk properly because the scar tissue was pulling at the muscle, so they fixed it for me. I had to go back two weeks ago for a few fine adjustments, and they said I should walk okay once it’s healed. After that, I can have the cosmetic surgery. I have a series of operations coming up in the next twelve months.” Dammit , she hadn’t meant to cry.
    “Don’t cry, love, please don’t cry.” He touched his lips to her forehead and it felt perfect, triggering a release of such dimensions it made her cry harder, but for different reasons this time. “I’m taking you to the hospital?”
    “No, please no. Not the hospital, please, no.”
    “I’ll be there with you all the time. I won’t leave you, I promise.”
    But she couldn’t bear it, wouldn’t go back until she had to. “I’m sorry, I know it’s stupid, but I don’t want to go. Please, don’t make me.”
    He cradled her closer, his body transmitting warmth and comfort. “I won’t. At least, not unless it’s serious.” He glanced at the stain, and following his gaze, she was relieved to see it wasn’t much bigger. “I can’t promise, not until I’ve seen it.”
    She couldn’t ask any more of him. It wouldn’t be fair. “Okay. If it’s serious. But don’t leave me there.”
    He strode out of the room and walked past the guard. Zoltan carried her right down the slope, out of the building and into the car, letting the driver close the door on them before he got in behind the wheel. Zoltan cradled her against him all the way home, soothing her, kissing away her tears.
    “Who went with you for your operation?”
    “No one.” She answered in a dull, careless voice, but he saw right through it.
    “On your own. I know how scared hospitals make you. Oh, sweetheart, you shouldn’t have had to bear it alone. I’m so sorry.”
    He knew her weakness and didn’t condemn her for it. Everyone else had, or had brushed her concerns aside. She could love him for that alone.
    “They said the wound might break open if I did too much. I shouldn’t have worn those stupid heels, but I didn’t want you to know.”
    “Was it hot in the hospital?”
    She laughed, the sound shaky, but he’d remembered her throwaway line earlier about going to hell. “Yes, it was.”
    The car drew up outside her apartment block and after the driver opened the door, Zoltan took her inside and carried her to the elevators. He didn’t put her down all the way to her apartment and