His reply is very quiet. "I know." Why is Jade still touching him, he wonders. He doesn't deserve this. Eyes stinging, he raises one hand and covers his face with it. This is awful. Jade's words cut too deep and suck the warm feeling of his afterglow right out of him, leaving him cold and ... ashamed.

There's no good reason for this. Kidnapped and then sold against his will. What Jade thinks of him shouldn't affect him at all. But his approval is so good, so soothing and he wants to learn how to get it constantly. It's ridiculous. And then he's laughing again. "I'm sorry."