I still didn’t meet his eye as I nodded. “It’s wrong. I know. But it just seems like you’re doing so well. No matter how much progress I make, I feel like I’m always falling behind.”
My gaze drifted in Logan’s direction, who was still talking on his phone with his back to us. There was no doubt that Clay and Logan were together, but I had no idea how the other man had done it.
How had Clay managed to move on and open himself up to someone else?
How could he bear to let a man touch him without being reminded of the thousand other unwanted touches that came before?
I shuddered just thinking about it.
That was one obstacle I’d made no progress with. Romance sounded like a good idea in theory, but I feared it would never be a reality for me. The one time I’d tried to set up a date, I’d ended up having a panic attack before I could even ask the other person. After that, I’d never bothered to try again. I didn’t need romance in order to graduate from the recovery center. I could live without it.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice Clay move until he sat next to me. We were so close I could feel the heat from his body even though we weren’t touching.
“I heard last night was your graduation party from the recovery center,” he said. “I’m sorry we interrupted that, but it’s a sign that you’re doing well. Trauma recovery isn’t a competition. You’re moving forward. That’s what matters.”
My therapist had said the same thing to me hundreds of times. I’d even said the same thing to myself on many occasions.
You’d think one of these times I’d actually believe it.
“I know,” I agreed. “But it doesn’t feel like enough.”
Whatever Clay meant to say next was interrupted when Logan returned.
“We’ll have to wait a few days before we leave.”
Clay stood from the picnic table to plant himself at Logan’s side. “What? Why? I thought you said it would be safer for us to return as soon as possible. Why the delay?”
Shadows lurked in Logan’s eyes. Something was going on, but he just wrapped an arm around Clay’s shoulders and rubbed a soothing hand against his arm.
“We’re still setting up the safe house. It’s... um, it’s just taking longer than we planned. Until then, Jordy, you can stay with us at our hotel. We’ll protect you until we’re able to get you to the safe house.”
Stay with them?
In the same hotel room?
If it were anyone else, I would have fled from them in panic. However, if there was anyone I could trust, it was these two. Clay could relate to and sympathize with my situation better than anyone, and Logan was the one who had brought me to the recovery center in the first place.
Maybe spending a few days with them in close quarters would help me figure out how their relationship worked. If Clay could move on and find romance, then surely so could I.
I stood from the table as well, stuffing my bandaged hands into the pockets of my jacket as I feigned a relaxed posture.
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’ve already got all my stuff packed. I’m ready to go whenever you are.”
CHAPTER 4
Kitt
I resistedthe urge to check the clock on my new phone. I didn’t want to know how long I’d been stuck on this one call, listening to the voice on the other end of the line talking in circles. It was clear what they wanted to say, though they didn’t have the balls to just come out and say it.
No, the DA wasn’t going to provide a safe house for our witnesses. Never mind the fact that these witnesses would be speaking out against one of the worst human trafficking rings this country had ever seen. Budgets were tight, and safe houses were expensive. There just wasn’t enough money available.
Bullshit.
I knew the real reason, and the person on the other end of the line did as well.
I’d yet to meet Logan Hollingsworth, the detective in charge of the bell ringer case. However, I could already tell he was an honorable man just from the way he’d sounded on the phone when he called to tell me that the arrangements for a safe house for the witnesses had fallen through. I’d then called the DAmyself to try and smooth things out, but no luck. Despite my years of experience as a lawyer, I was still new to the DA’s office, and didn’t have much influence with their people yet.
Sighing deeply, I snapped a quick dismissal to the person on the other end of the line and hung up the phone.
