I took in a shaky breath. I felt soraw and vulnerable with him staring so intently at me – waiting for me todivulge what only Kat knew. But I trusted him with those emotions, trusted himwith everything.
I took in a shaky breath and forgedahead. “When knocking me around wasn’t proving to be successful, they tried toforce me…” I choked out, hating to relieve the hideous ordeal. I saw Cole’s jawclench in response as he tried to keep himself under control.
Talking about it made me feel theoppressiveness of the room at the club they’d dragged me into all over again.It had smelled like stale beer and I would never forget that Black Sabbath’s“paranoid” was playing on the stereo. I’d never be able to hear that band againwithout reliving that horrible day.
Cole’s grip on my shoulder got nearlypainful before he forced his hand back to his lap for fear he’d hurt me byaccident.
I took a deep fortifying breath andclosed my eyes. For some reason that was the only way I could continue. “Theykept laughing…” I whispered hoarsely. “Like my screaming and fighting washilarious. But they were both high and drunk. That’s probably what made itpossible for me to escape with only some ripped clothes and bruises,” Ifinished, opening my eyes but staring straight ahead. I wasn’t able to look athim just yet.
“You must have put up a damn goodfight,” he replied quietly.
I nodded and looked down in my lap.
“Be back,” he said tersely and exitedthe truck with alarming speed. I took in a shaky breath in the overwhelmingsilence of the cab and allowed him his time to cool off. I could hear my breathwhipping in and out through my mouth before it began to slow, and I felt myaccelerated heart rate return to a more normal speed.
It didn’t take as long as I would haveguessed before he was opening my door, his handsome face staring down intomine. He looked at me with such raw emotion that it nearly took my breath awayas his calloused fingers stroked my face. My cheek was black and blue with someswelling, but I could tell in that moment he wasn’t seeing that. He was justseeing me. Having told him my ugliest truth and having him look at me with whatcould only be described as adoration, I’d never felt more free.
“Thank you for telling me,” his deepvoice finally said, and I knew what effort it cost him to hold it together.
“Do I have enough baggage for youyet?” I asked shakily as I laughed, wanting desperately to lighten the heavyatmosphere. Clearly Cole was in no mood for light.
He regarded me seriously and put hisforehead to mine. “You have battle scars. There’s a difference,” he saidquietly.
I wanted so badly to tell him that Iloved him, but I didn’t want the moment tainted by what I’d just told him. So Iheld it in and kissed his beautiful mouth instead, then I reached my armsaround his neck, pulling him close.
“Thank you,” I whispered quietly inhis ear.
He simply squeezed me back as a reply.We stayed that way for many long moments before he pulled away to restart ourjourney home.
“Where are we going?” I asked inconfusion when he didn’t take my exit once we’d arrived back in town.
“My place,” he answered as though itwere obvious.
“But I need to go home,” I protested.“I need to do laundry and I don’t have anything with me.”
“You’re not going home until this shitis sorted,” he replied tersely.
“What?” I demanded.
“You’re at my place until furthernotice,” he added.
“Cole,” I said, my tone bordering onhysteria. “I get that our relationship is far from ordinary, intensity-wiseespecially.”
He chuckled.
“But I don’t think it’s a good ideafor me to essentially move in after a few weeks of dating,” I argued.
“Is that what this is? Dating?” heasked, the humor gone from his tone.
“What else would you call it?” I askeddefensively.
“You’re justgonnahave to suck it updarlin’,” he said withoutanswering my question. “Your options are the clubhouse or my house. Which willit be?” he asked.
I blew out a sigh. “Your place Iguess,” I muttered.
“I’ll try not to make it too painfulfor you,” he said dryly, and I realized with a shock that I might have hurt hisfeelings.
“It’s not that I don’t want to be withyou, honey,” I said quietly. “I’m just used to being alone – I’ve donenothing but build walls up for eight years. It feels really foreign to havethem all coming down around me,” I explained.
