Seeing her demons waging war behind her eyes as she answers, I understand her trying to push me away, but I need to hear her verbalize it.
“I’m panic-stricken,” she whimpers.
“Over what?” My voice is still hard. It seems to be the best route to take with her. When I’m demanding her honesty rather than asking, she snaps to attention, and I’m sadistic enough to admit I like that she’ll do whatever I say.
“Going back.” Her words are barely audible.
My blood boils. Realistically, I know that if she hadn’t gone to jail and faced the consequences, she might have never accepted how selfish she was. How mean. Doesn’t change the fact that I wouldn’t like to beat the fuck out of her brother for forcing it on her. The things she went through, things I am sure I’m not even aware of yet, left her broken in a way I worry she’ll never come back from.
“What will you tell Zach?” Her concern is singular.
“If you were me, if you were obsessed with the woman you’re contracted with to find all of her deepest, darkest mysteries from and you did, what would you do?”
She stares at me like I’ve grown two heads. I think she finally understands my conflict despite the fact I’d rather shield her from everything bad in the world.
I watch as she licks her lips, wanting to follow the same path with my own tongue. “I’d tell.”
“Why?” I demand, wanting to know her logic.
“To protect her.” Tears stream down her face.
Fuck.
I can’t wait for the fucking day when tears aren’t the norm, and smiles and laughter are what she gives me instead. Dragging her to my chest, I inhale her sensual scent. She smells like me. Our still-nude bodies clash in a fierce embrace.
“Please don’t tell him,” she begs through her tears.
Shit on a stick.
I say the one thing I know I shouldn’t because more than anything in this world, I want her trust. “I won’t,” I vow. Hoping against hope, I’ll be able to keep it.
Chapter Seven
Declan
Leaving her in bed after spending most of the night making love, I head out to see Zach. I know I need to tell the other man something, or he won’t stop harassing me, and he might get someone else involved that would only set her back.
I also plan to look into whatever I can find out about her incarceration, medical records, therapist notes, etc. Anything I can get my hands on. Something happened while she was in there, and it’s holding her back from healing and moving on with her life.
Just as I’m about to hop on my bike, even though it’s windy as hell and I can almost feel winter coming, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Glancing at the screen, I groan. “Yeah.”
“How’s it coming? Has she talked?” The eagerness in Zach’s voice puts me on edge.
“I’m on my way in now,” I tell him, hanging up before he can get another word in edgewise.
The short drive to his downtown office is chilly yet exhilarating. It helped to clear my head, and I was going to need that in dealing with my friend.
I park beside the two-story brick building. Before I’m off the motorcycle, he’s there with a cup of coffee in hand. I eye him skeptically. He never gives me shit unless he wants something, which I suppose he does.
“Well?” he asks before I can bring the warm brew to my lips.
“Why are you so eager?” It feels like there’s more going on than I’m being told. Again.
His loud sigh is followed by an unwillingness to meet my hard gaze. “Her parents called yesterday.”
Not exactly shocking to me. “And?”
“They think you’re abusing her…”