Chapter 19 19 A Cruel One

• “Marry me.” I pulled away in shock, unsure of how to respond to his unexpected proposal.
• Marry him; is he out of his mind? Is this some kind of sick joke? My mind raced with questions as I tried to make sense of his sudden request.
• “Yes, I want you to marry me.” Hollis repeated it as if reading my mind filled with questions. My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to find the right words to respond to his surprising proposal. “You must want to know why I’m asking you to marry me,” he continued, his eyes searching mine for a reaction.