“That snake!” Paige pounded her fist on the arm of the couch. “Is he out on bail already?”
“He was never arrested.” Heat surged through Riley’s body at the statement.
“What? Why?” Paige’s jaw dropped.
A pit opened in Riley’s stomach as she told her best friend how Collin convinced the police they’d only been making out. Then tears filled her eyes as she told her how helpless she’d felt all over again when Collin assaulted her a second time in the exam room.
“Oh, Ri, I’m so sorry.” Paige squeezed into the armchair with Riley and wrapped her in a hug. “What about the restraining order? Did you call the police?”
The pit in Riley’s stomach widened as she related Collin’s threat about using his dad’s lawyers to discredit and defame her. Then she reminded Paige of the victim advocate’s warning that the restraining order would only protect her if Collin obeyed it.
“Which he clearly isn’t.” Paige’s nostrils flared now, and her face turned red. She made a growling sound. "I should never have gone to that movie with Jen and Shaylee last Friday. If I'd been here, he wouldn't have?—"
"It's not your fault, Paige."
"It's not yours either. You remember that.” Paige pointed a finger at Riley. “You did not bring it on yourself. That slimeball had no right to do what he did to you."
"I know, but I can't help but second guess everything I said and did." Riley pulled her knees tighter to her chest in a defensive gesture.
"Stop it! That man is a scumbag and should be in jail."
"We both know that's not going to happen." The pit in Riley’s stomach had become a gaping hole now.
"Gah, it sickens me that his father uses his power that way." She pounded the armrest again.
"Me too." Riley's voice was quiet, resigned. “That’s why I’ve decided to leave for a while.”
“Leave?” Paige’s brows drew together as she studied Riley’s face. “To go where?”
“Home.” The word lit a tiny spark of hope in Riley’s chest. “To the Double Diamond.”
Thinking about the beautiful ranch she grew up on in southeastern Washington provided a balm to Riley’s tormented soul. “Dr. Nelson promised to talk to the pharmaceutical company about Collin, but he suggested I take a leave of absence for a while.”
“Yes!” Paige’s excited outburst startled Riley. “You need to leave Seattle for a while. The ranch is the perfect place for you to heal.”
“But I don’t want to leave you alone here. What if Collin comes back? I don’t want you to be his next victim.”
Paige pinched her lip, deep in thought. Then she snapped her fingers. “I’ll talk to Jen and Shaylee next door and see if I can stay in their extra room for a while.”
“Are you sure?” Riley felt bad leaving her cousin and best friend. “I don’t know how long I’ll be away, but I’ll keep paying my share of the rent.”
“Yes, I’m sure. You should go home to the Double Diamond.”
Now Riley studied Paige. Should she take offense at Paige’s eagerness to get rid of her?
It doesn’t matter.
Going home was the right move.
Will putting two hundred miles between me and Collin help erase the memory of what he did to me?
Daniel's worldtilted a little as he straightened from returning the wheelbarrow to where it belonged. He put a hand against the wall to steady himself. His jaw stretched in a wide yawn.
His dad stepped into the doorway of the tool room. “Thanks for cleaning the stables.” He pointed a finger at Daniel. "Now get some lunch, then get some sleep."
Zane Hamilton was a man of few words, but when he spoke people listened, especially around here because he was the ranch foreman. Even Jake Winters, the owner of the Double Diamond, deferred to Zane's expertise. After all, Daniel's parents had been working and living on the ranch since before Jake was born.
Daniel hoped to be half the man Jake was by the time he reached his early thirties. He could never aspire to be as good as his own father because his dad had been smart enough to shun alcohol like the plague. Something Daniel hadn't been strong enough to do.
