Hushed Willows My girl don't want me cause of my dirty laundry

Against his better judgment, he listens.
And it sounded so crazy, that this woman would think fucking off to high heaven was what he ever could have wanted; to think that disappearing without a word was what he wanted. His breath comes in slow, jagged pulls before he speaks again.
Babydoll, one paw reaches out in search of hers, to hold the white-tipped digits in the pale heft of his own; as was routine when fear seemed to shake her by the shoulders. don't you go on just assumin' these types of things, first of all, okay? If-- if I needed space, I'd tell you I need it, because that was how this was supposed to work, wasn't it?
He waits for the recognition to spark behind her eyes before he continues. and I never, ever, in a million, billion years want you to leave, or-- or ignore me without tellin' me. Ever. Not after this. as he thought of it, she'd be lucky if he let her go anywhere alone again. you hear me? I love you.
Was this not what love was?