Amelia parted the hug and stared into Cullen's eyes. A tear slipped down her right cheek and another followed. Her seven years of hell had finally ended. Her seven years of self-hate and abuse had finally ended. Her seven years of downgrading herself because of what a man made her believe had finally ended. Her seven years of sorrow, anguish, and struggle had finally ended.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Cullen asked softly. His thumb cleaned her cheek tenderly.
"Why the struggle? Why all this stress for me?" she asked, her face flooding with more tears.
Relief loosened the tight knot in her chest.
"Hmm, let me think," Cullen adopted a thoughtful expression, "Let's say because I love helping around," he tried to joke.
Amelia eyed him. "That doesn't equal a dry joke. You really should learn how to make a joke," She said dryly, her eyes still wet.