Tilting her head, Cherie met his eyes. “What’s that?”
“I, too, don’t have any children.”
Her brow furrowed. “How long were you married?” she asked, believing that Reese and his ex-wife probably didn’t stay together long enough to start a family.
“Four years. I wanted children, and she didn’t.”
Cherie wanted to ask him if they’d discussed having a family before they were married, but decided that was too personal. Just knowing he was single was enough. “You said you had something to tell me,” she said quickly before he could ask about her prior relationship.
“You won’t have to testify against your attacker.”
Her eyes grew wide. “Why?”
“Because United States marshals are coming here tomorrow to extradite him to Tennessee, where he’s wanted for raping and murdering a fourteen-year-old girl.”
Cherie’s legs began shaking, and she would’ve collapsed if Reese hadn’t held her upright. Knowing the man had raped and killed a girl made the reality of his attack even more frightening, and she knew that if Reese hadn’t been in the café’s parking lot at the time she was being strangled, she could’ve possibly become another one of his murdered victims.
Reese buried his face in Cherie’s hair as he supported her trembling body. He’d debated whether to tell her about the man over the phone or in person, and he was glad he’d decided on the latter. There was no doubt she was experiencing PTSD.
“It’s okay, bae. I’m here for you,” he said over and over until her trembling eased and then stopped altogether.
“What’s going to happen to him?” Cherie asked. Her voice was muffled as she pressed her face against his chest.
“If he doesn’t get the death penalty, then he’s probably going to spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.”
She leaned back and stared up at Reese. “So I won’t have to see him again?”
“No. When we arrested him, his name and DNA came up in the CODIS database, and that’s when the chief got a call from the FBI field office in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We forwarded our report to the prosecutor in Chattanooga, because Tennessee has jurisdiction, and they have an outstanding warrant for his arrest for rape and murder.”
Cherie covered her face with her hands. “I’m trying to forget what happened, but whenever I close my eyes, I relive the time when I couldn’t breathe.”
Reese took her hands, bringing them down. “You’re experiencing flashbacks. It’s the same with soldiers in combat or someone who has had a traumatic encounter. It’s going to take a while for you to get over it.”
“What if I never get over it, Reese?”
Cradling the back of her head, he kissed her forehead. “You can, and you will, because I’ll be here to help you. That’s a promise, and I always keep my promises.”
Cherie forced a smile. “That what I used to tell my brothers. Whenever I would promise them something, I’d always come through for them.”
Reese kissed her forehead again. “And I’ve never been one to break a promise. You have my cell phone number, so if or when you need me, I’m only minutes away.”
Pulling her lower lip between her teeth, Cherie closed her eyes for several seconds. “If I need counseling, I’ll talk to Kayana. There’s no need for me to bother you with my problems.”
“You’re not a bother, Cherie, so I don’t want to hear you refer to yourself as one.”
“I would’ve said a pain in the neck if I didn’t have one.”
He loosened the scarf she’d wound around her neck, sucking in his breath when he saw the darkening red bruises on her throat. “Are you experiencing a lot of pain?”
“Not as much as before. I just can’t stand to look at my neck because it’s a constant reminder of what could’ve happened to me if you hadn’t come along when you did.”
“I told you I was destined to be where I was yesterday afternoon.”
A trembling smile parted her lips. “Destiny, fate, and luck.”
His smile matched her. “That’s definitely a trifecta.” Reese adjusted the silky material and covered the bruises.
“Are you ready to sample what I’ve cooked?”
