Kennedy's Redemption (The Protectors 3)

He was pissed the fuck off now. “You wanna blame someone, Sunshine? Then fucking blame us,” Creed told her angrily. “Coop called me for help long before you met Emily. I should have found those sickos way before they even touched you, but I didn’t.”

“What?” she demanded.

“Yeah. Linc and I were brought in on the day after she came looking for help, but we were too busy on another assignment to find missing children. We could have had more information before we did, but we were busy. So if you want to place blame, it’s on our shoulders not yours.” He didn’t actually believe that but he had a point to make with her. Because he knew she wouldn’t blame them.

“This isn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known. And those children needed to be saved. Nothing is more important than that. How could you say such a thing?” Her words were heated at first, but by the end she finally realized his point.

He kept going though, he needed her to understand that no one knew how volatile Emily’s stalker duo were. “We should have abandoned the case and come home when Coop and Dane asked. Hell, if we’d have known you then we’d have dropped anything to be by your side. But Kennedy? The fact is, we can’t predict what will happen with things like that. No one perpetrator is ever the same. You better fucking believe if any of us thought you and Em were in real danger that day nothing would have stopped us from letting you girls go.”

“I’m sorry. God, I’m so sick of this roller coaster!”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Sunshine,” Linc told her soothingly.

“But I do. I keep doubting everything. Whenever things start to feel good, the doubt comes back and it eats me alive. Burns a hole in my gut like acid. I can’t stand it.”

“When you feel that doubt you need to tell us. Or someone,” Linc said to her.

Nodding her head, she stood up. Looking between them she settled her gaze on Linc, pushing up on her tip toes she whispered against his lips, “Thank you. For making this place disappear.”

“Let’s go home,” he whispered back, kissing her lightly.

Creed was glad they were able to bring her, help her work through more of the trouble brewing in her mind. He hated that she had so much doubt. It was time for her to let go, and he hoped going back to the place where her pain began absolved some of the mental scars.

Twenty-One

Laying in bed that evening, Kennedy had a lot on her mind. Most important was her need to talk to Emily. She had to see how the other woman was doing, and to let her know how she was doing herself. They had so much to work through.

It had been an emotional day for her. All the driving to Bay City, then her breakdown while they were at the cabin. She was still amazed that Linc had burned it to the ground. He’d explained on the way home that no one had looked harder than they had into what happened. As far as the county officials were concerned, good riddance. They were happy to wash their hands of it.

Creed had also brought up setting up an art studio in the barn for her to do with what she pleased. She was giving serious consideration to taking art classes and opening some sort of rehab center for victims of abuse.

It was one thing she planned on talking to Keeley and Emily about when the shock wore off that she was finally home. She’d texted Dane from Linc’s phone, letting him know they’d be there tomorrow and to not tell Emily. He’d objected at first, saying he didn’t want to keep secrets from her. But he finally relented, understanding Emily would only stress about it until she got there.

“What are you thinking about, Kennedy?” Creed asked coming out of the steamy bathroom after his shower.

Smiling, she admired his wet muscled chest as he moved, drying his hair as he went to the dresser grabbing a pair of gym shorts.

“Sunshine?” he asked her again. She’d lost her train of thought when he dropped the towel showing her his firm ass. She wanted to bite it.

“Tomorrow,” she told him distractedly. Still watching as his muscles rippled and flexed as he moved around the room getting ready for bed.

“You’re wearing my shirt again,” Linc groused as he came in the room after locking up the house.

Looking down, she gave the best innocent expression she could. “Am I?”

Smirking, he shook his head, moving to the bathroom for his own shower.

“You sure you’re alright after today?” Creed asked sitting on the bed beside her. Throwing the covers over them both.

“I promise, Creed.” She cuddled into his chest as he lay down.

“You know we’d do anything for you, don’t you, Sunshine?” His hand brushing through her hair felt marvelous. When he started to massage her scalp she grew sleepy.

“I do know,” she whispered as her eyes closed.

“Good. Because one day we’ll give you the moon and the stars.” He promised.

“Mmm,” she hummed as he continued his assault on her hair.