Large hands cupped her face with thumbs pressed to her cheek bone. His long fingers pushed against the erratic pulse racing under her jaw.
But he could hurt me if he wanted to.
Daniel leaned closer, and his warm breath hit her cheek.
Her heart raced faster as she recalled the smell of garlic and whiskey on Collin's breath the night he attacked her. A cold chillsnaked down her spine, and a flood of adrenaline made her whole body tremble.
The pain in her eye forgotten, she jerked back. She needed to get away from him.
His hands held firm. "Hold still!"
Daniel's lips moved, but she heard the demanding tone of Collin's voice when he pressed his hand to her neck and sternum, pinning her down. She'd struggled so hard for air that shadows filled her vision.
Just like now.
Not again!
A surge of adrenaline fueled by fear and self-preservation set her body in motion.
She put both hands on his shoulders and brought her knee up as hard as she could. "Get your hands off me! Don't you ever touch me again!"
Collin doubled over.
No, wait.
It was Daniel's dark head that doubled over, a loud groan emanating from him.
Mortified by what she'd done and still fighting the panic surging through her, she turned and raced into the house.
CHAPTER 7
Daniel paused to brush the grass and weeds off his pant legs before hurrying through the back door of the ranch house. He'd just finished mowing and weed whacking around the big house, up the lane to the highway, and down the lane to his parents' house by himself.
He should be awarded a medal for getting any work done at all after Riley kneed him in the groin that afternoon. Although, he had laid on the ground for a full five minutes after she ran off.
"Ah, there you are." His mom pulled a casserole dish from the oven and straightened. "Perfect timing. Dinner's ready."
Daniel washed his hands then slipped into the dining room as his mom laid the lasagna on the table. He would've liked to shower before eating, but his mom was a stickler for schedules, and everyone was already seated. Everyone except for Riley.
He didn't know what her deal was, but he hoped she got over it soon. Otherwise, his sobriety wasn’t likely to survive the summer. Alcohol dulled all kinds of pain.
"Where's Riley?" His mom asked as she took her seat.
Jake got to his feet. "I knocked on her door a bit ago and told her it was dinner time, but apparently she needs an extra invite today."
I should have taken time to shower.
When Riley slid into her seat across from him less than a minute later, he caught a glimpse of red-rimmed eyes again. The resentment he’d harbored toward her all afternoon dissipated.
He could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen her cry since she turned twelve. She'd rarely had emotional outbursts like she'd been prone to lately.
Someone—probably a man—has wrecked Riley.
His heart twisted in his chest at the thought of someone hurting her, and he ached to punch something. In truth, he longed for a stiff drink, but he couldn't give in. Not once. Not even a little one. Or he would spiral out of control again. He'd have to settle for punching something after dinner.
Riley was distant a few nights ago, but that was nothing compared to the way she refused to look at him tonight. Her eyes never left her plate, yet she picked at her food and hardly ate a bite. She didn't look at anyone else either, except for a quick glance and a mumbled response when someone asked her a question.
Daniel wasn't the only one who watched Riley with concern. His parents and Jake and Emily all had eyes on her as well. He must have been too quiet because they watched him too.
