But I can’t make that promise, especially when I don’t know everything. And I want it all.
“Tell me. I’ll take everything you’ll give me.”
She shakes her head, and I can almost see her mind trying to make sense of how to explain this to me. But it doesn’t take much because I know how this goes. One thing I am tragically familiar with is the reality of domestic violence, thanks to my time in the Armyandmy time in the department.
Fury roils in my chest, but that does nothing. If I’ve learned anything in my time in the military, controlling your fear, your anger, and your stress responses are the keys to winning a battle. So instead of growling out exactly how I’d like to exact vengeance on her behalf, I demand more. “And now?”
She heaves a sigh full of so much exhaustion and sadness, I want to leave it, but I can’t. “You left him, you escaped to start fresh here, and now what? What did my brother see?”
“And now? Now he called me on a number he shouldn’t have to tell me he misses me and doesn’t understand why I left.” She cringes, a look of disgust more than fear or sadness.
Honestly, it’s a relief. She’s not scared, just pissed off.
I don’t stop myself now. I move right into her face and cup her cheeks, demanding she look at me. “We’ll figure this out. I promise you. Davis is a lawyer; he can look at the order of protection. I doubt it allows for him to call you.”
Her chin wobbles. “I feel so stupid for being this upset. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t even care, and here I am just losing it on you.”
She grips my forearms and holds me there, forbidding me from moving away.
I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“Don’t apologize. You feel what you feel, that’s it. No judging the feelings. No trying to make them go away. If I’ve learned one thing from grief, it’s that you can’t always control or even make sense of what you feel.” I ease back, but she doesn’t let me go.
Instead, she slides her hands down my arms and we lace fingers.
It sends an ill-timed thrill through me because this is the first time we’ve voluntarily touched aside from our handshake days ago.Sheis touching me, and I’m completely here for it.
“You lost people. Your whole life changed. That’s different. Of course there’s no foreseeing how you’d respond.”
Her beautiful eyes are filled with compassion, and her voice holds such empathy. For me.
“You lost something, too. I know you said it wasn’t a fairytale, but you had hopes for how things would go. And Sam, you were hurt.” I clamp down on the flash of anger at the reminder that someone hurt her. “You didn’t deserve any of it, and more than that, you deserve to be loved. You should be able to exist and feel safe and cared for without fear. Being confronted with the lack of those things, that’s absolutely worth grieving.”
Her tears spill over. “I’m sorry, but how are you like this?”
I laugh, but it’s agonized. “Like what?”
Her gaze finds mine again. “You’re this good. I mean you’re grumpy as all get out half the time, but here you are, trying to help me and comfort me and it’s just…” She shakes her head.
I do what I’ve wanted since the minute Finn said something was wrong. I release her hands and wrap my arms around her, ensuring my touch is firm enough to show my hands won’t be wandering, but gentle enough to show she’s safe.
It’s the fundamental fabric of my being that shouts into my head what I’ve known in my gut for days—I’ll do anything to keep her safe.
And when her arms wrap around me, my eyes fall closed, and I breathe in her warm scent. She’s all soft curves and slow breaths. Her body relaxes against me, and it feels so good to hold her.
Too soon—though admittedly, any point in time would be too soon for me—she lets go and steps back.
“I’m sorry, I—” Her eyes widen when she sees my scowl. “Right.Notsorry. But I will say thank you.”
The way her gaze sweeps over my face makes my heart pinch.
“Thankyou. For telling me what’s going on. I’d say I’m sorry I forced the issue, but I’m not. I’m glad you told me, and if you’re okay with it, I can talk to Davis.”
She’s chuckling at me. “I’m okay with it. And thank you.”
My phone buzzes, but I don’t look at it. I can do that in a minute. But Sam didn’t miss it.
“Do you need to get that? Are the girls okay?” She presses a hand to her belly and that is when I register what she’s wearing.
