Something in Travis told him he didn’t know everything about Josephine Callahan, the sweet and gentle Southern belle.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Josiehurriedoutofthe kitchen, startled by the faint cry coming from her bedroom. She quickly removed her apron, her thoughts fixed solely on comforting her small son. She tied her hair back with a ribbon she fished from her pocket as she opened the bedroom door. But an unsettling sensation crept over her, sending chills up her arms. The room had fallen eerily silent—not even the slightest whimper from Nathan.
Her gaze locked on the empty crib, and a wave of shock crashed over her. Where was Nathan? Why wasn’t he in his crib? Her heart pounded violently as the room spun around her. Stumbling back, she grasped the rocking chair for balance.
“Looking for this?”
The voice was familiar, making the hair at the back of her neck stand. She never thought she’d hear that voice again; it existed only in her mind and seemed almost impossible. Josie slowly lifted her chin, her breath catching as her gaze met Marcus’s piercing eyes.
He stood in the corner of the room, holding Nathan in his arms. Her stomach twisted painfully. Nathan was so small, so fragile—one snap of Marcus’s temper, and he could be hurt in an instant. Seeing him stand before her brought her back into a delicate and vulnerable state. She felt small, exposed, like the frightened girl she had once been. He towered over her like a giant, and those hands of his were like a grizzly’s paws.
He had her son. She couldn’t save him. Josie didn’t have the strength to fight Marcus, just like before. Nathan was in the hands of the monster who haunted her soul.
“Y-You’re dead,” Josie croaked.
A smile spread across Marcus’s face. “You think you could get rid of me that easily? You’re too weak, Josie. You’ll never see the last of me.”
Josie’s heart pounded violently against her ribs as she gasped for air. Her body remained frozen against the mattress, her limbs locked. A warm arm draped over her while she struggled to regain her breath. The mattress shifted beneath Travis’s weight as he sat up beside her.It was just a dream, she reminded herself through shivers.
But it felt too real. Josie often had nightmares, but they were usually flashes from the past, locked in her memory. This time, it felt different, as though Marcus was in the room with her. Travis rubbed her chilled arms, murmuring soft, shushing noises.
“It’s all right, Jo. I’m here. It was just a dream.”
Josie tried to speak, but her voice was too weak, her throat clamped shut. Her damp nightdress clung to her form like glue. “W-Where’s Nathan?”
Travis caressed her cheek. “He’s here. He’s in the room with us.”
Josie nodded, blowing out a breath.
“What happened? What did you dream about?”
Josie tried to lock Marcus out of her mind, but as long as Travis didn’t know the full truth, he’d only torture her more. She could never be free, and she would be locked away from everyone she loved if she confessed.
To her surprise, Travis pulled her against him. She pressed her head to his warm chest, hearing his heart pitter pat against her ear. The sound of life echoed, a life Josie loved more than her own. Travis’s body made her feel safe and his touch made her whole. The thought terrified her—that a man’s touch could be both comforting and painful. But with Travis, it was a beautiful solace she couldn’t quite express in words. Josie longed to stay in his arms for as long as possible, savoring the warmth and safety they offered. She knew deep down that Travis was unlike any man she had known, and she could trust him. The worst he could do was turn her into the authorities.
But what would he think of her, knowing she wasn’t the woman he thought her to be? Josie was a murderess. If she was capable of taking a life once, she could do it again. Yet it ached more to keep it hidden. The barrier she yearned to break with Travis could only collapse if she revealed the heavy truth she carried. The secret could destroy their lives, but Josie would rather be shunned by Travis, full of shame, than hold onto her past.
Josie hurried to wipe the tears streaming down her cheeks, but Travis was quicker. His thumb gently brushed across her skin, gathering her tears with a tenderness that made her heart ache.
“Travis . . . There’s something you must know about me,” Josie began. “I’ve been wrong to keep so many secrets from you, and . . . after this afternoon, I can’t keep them any longer. The torture is too hard to bear . . .”
“You can tell me anything, Jo,” Travis whispered in a low voice. “I’m your husband.”
Josie pressed her lips together, fighting her tears. “I’m afraid you’ll see me differently . . . I’m not the Josephine you know. I did something awful. I tried to deny it . . . but I know it happened, and I am to blame.”
Josie hesitated, searching for the right words while Travis remained patient, giving her space to gather her thoughts. When she finally pulled away from his embrace, it wasn’t because she couldn’t bear his touch. Deep down, she knew he would push her away soon enough and sparing him the effort felt easier.
“I never told you how my husband died . . . He . . . He attacked me the night I escaped. I never told Marcus about Nathan because I didn’t want him taken from me, raised by his father . . . or hurt by him. That night, Marcus wanted to kill me for dishonoring him with my lack of childbearing. I—I wanted to protect Nathan, so I let him beat me. But I wasn’t going to let him kill me or my baby.
“I fought hard for Nathan, so I tried to defend myself by grabbing what I could find . . .” Josie brought her knees close to her chest and tightened her grip as she replayed the fearsome memory in her mind. “I hit Marcus as hard as I could before I almost blacked out. He . . . He lost his balance and fell down the stairwell and . . . that’s how he died. I killed him.”
Josie closed her eyes, preparing herself for Travis’s fury. Not only did she trick him into marrying a pregnant widow, but she also tricked him into marrying a murderess. She was a criminal who was being hunted and would be punished by death. She would be an embarrassment to his family and a terrible influence on the children.
Instead, Travis wrapped his strong arms around her form, pulling her into the most tender embrace one could neverimagine. He rested his chin on her shoulder, his breath hitting her neck.
“It wasn’t your fault, Jo.”
