Chapter 10
Kol
My day was filled with paperwork and interviews with the district attorney’s office, so I wasn’t able to call and check on Ember and Thea like I wanted. After a quick stop at a florist, I grab a bundle of daffodils, remembering once how happy they made my mom when dad brought them home.
I don’t even know if Thea likes flowers, but I want her to know I’ve been thinking about her, and I hope this will show her that she means more to me than lustful attraction. I paid attention to my parents growing up, and their love was always something I wished for myself. I think all of us did. Arsen has found it with Marina, and I intend to achieve it with Thea.
Just as soon as she allows me to.
We got confirmation that Hunter arrived in Joplin late this afternoon and has already met with the detectives who were assigned Thea’s case. He has a feeling they were threatened into dropping the charges and giving Judge Dane what he wanted.
That’s not good enough for me, though. I want Thea to have the justice she deserves, and if that means taking down the cops who bent to the pressure, then I’m all for it. They shouldn’t have failed her so profoundly that she needed to run away. That she attempted suicide on more than one occasion.
Thea has more reason than anybody else I know to distrust the world, and no matter how much I try to show her that we’re not all bad, I don’t know that I’ll succeed. I’ve never met anyone like my blue-eyed girl before, so I’m treading on thin ice. Not wanting to say or do the wrong thing even if my intentions are noble.
Arriving home, the neighborhood kids are out playing a game of street hockey, and I grin, hopeful that one day, my kids will be doing that, too. As I’m exiting my truck, I see Ember coming out the front door. Thea is in the window watching me.
“Hey big brother, how was work?” Ember is a little too happy, so I know she’s up to something.
“It was work. What’d you do?” She grins wider, pats me on the shoulder, and bounces off to her car without an answer. “Shit.”
Gazing back up to where Thea was in the window, I see she’s gone now, and worry balls in the pit of my stomach. Striding up to the front door, it opens before I get the chance to turn the knob.
“Hi, Kol.” Thea’s soft voice is a balm to my nerves.
“Hi, blue eyes.” I don’t hesitate in running the fingers of one hand through her hair and leaning forward to kiss her lightly on the lips. I’d love to explore her deeper, but she’s not ready, and honestly, maybe I’m not either.
I still have to hold so much of myself back so as not to scare her, and I know if I go for that bolder exploration I crave, I won’t be able to stop.
“These,” I pull the daffodils from behind my back, “are for you.” Her eyes widen with shock before they soften with contentment.
“They’re beautiful.” Thea takes them from my hand and inhales deeply as she turns and heads towards my kitchen. The entire moment is so natural that I take a second to absorb it. I enjoy the smile I put on her face, the happiness in her eyes, and the comfort she possesses as she walks into the kitchen to find a vase—or more likely a water pitcher.
Following behind her, I stop at the closet under the stairs to hang up my coat and lock my gun in the small safe. Asking, “How was your day?” like we do it every single day.
As I enter the kitchen, she’s trimming the stems before placing the flowers in the water-filled pitcher she found. “Ember and I talked a lot,” she says. “This is all very normal.”
Our eyes meet, and I see so much flicker across her face. The desire to keep going on as we are, being the most prevalent. “It is,” I confirm.
“I haven’t had normal in a very long time, Kol. I’m not even certain I’m doing it right.” Her hands fidget on the counter with the cut flower stems.
“There’s no right or wrong way to do it, baby.”
“Did you…” She swallows roughly and looks away before finishing her question. “Did you find out anything about him today.” The way she struggles to say Dane’s name is more revealing than any evidence. You don’t have such visceral reactions to people unless they’ve done something horrific to you. Which he has.
“Come here.” Holding a hand out for her, she waits a beat before rounding the counter and clasping my palm. “Let’s sit down and talk.” Leading her into the living room, I relax and tug her down with me, so she lands on the cushion beside me. Placing her hand on my thigh, I wrap an arm around her shoulders.
“Just tell me,” she whispers.
“We’re investigating him. My captain agrees with mine and Noah’s assumptions about Dane. He’s sent our division lieutenant to Joplin to quietly investigate the department you reported your assault at. He’s one of the most honest men I’ve met in my life. Hunter has no time or interest in games. He will find out why that bastard was able to get away with what he did to you with barely an investigation.” Thea is vibrating beside me just listening to me talk about the actions we’re taking to give her some peace.
“I can’t sleep in a bed because of him.” Her silent confession makes my heart cramp and my fists ball. “I can barely shut the lights off at night, terrified he’s going to be sneaking in the room.”
“Saying I’m sorry isn’t good enough, but I am, Thea. I wish I could have been there to protect you.” I’d have probably killed him and tossed him in the same river Thea dumped her belongings in.
Scraping her nails along my jeans, my girl is lost in thought as I try to comfort her. “There was a time in my life when I believed in soulmates. One man for every woman. I wanted desperately to be loved so completely by someone that I would be able to give them the one thing no one else would ever have.”
She stares up at me then, and I have a feeling I already know the answer to my next question.