He nodded and put the cane down on the bed. The necklace felt delicate and small in his hands. So many years since he'd cruelly pulled it away from her. So many times he wished he could've given it back. He'd been trapped by Saxon when she left the first time, and he...he didn't even have a chance to say goodbye. She didn't give any of them a chance to say goodbye.

He unclasped the necklace and gently placed it around her neck. His fingers easily reclasped it, though he worked with extra gentleness. He'd broken it once before, he had no doubt he could do it again.

His fingers smoothed the chain against the back of her neck, then slid down to touch her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," he said. "For what I said to you that night." It was something he'd wanted to apologize for a long, long time.