“Get up,” he demanded. “We need to talk, in private.” He hissed.
She looked around the room, fear evident in her eyes.
“I don’t think so, Justin. Whatever you have to say can be said here.”
He gripped her hand and pulled her up to a sitting position. I knew what would happen next, that had been my life for years, and there must be a reason Connie refused to go with him. She was afraid. I did not know what was going on, but I knew that she needed help. I pushed the emergency button on my remote.
“Let me go, Justin. I am not leaving here.”
“Bitch, when I say I want to talk, you talk.” I flinched at his abusive words and the way they made her shiver. But I was in no position to physically take him on, none of us in the room were.
Alicia and Annie sat by my side, speechless.
A few minutes later, Tilly walked in with a security guard and looked across the room at me. I motioned with my head toward Connie and her husband.
"Is everything alright here, Ma'am?" the security guard asked when he approached Connie's bed. Connie looked terrified, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. I nodded at her, calm assurance that no matter what she did, I would help anyway I could. We were all strangers in this room, but nobody was walking in here and hurting anyone.
"Yes, it is," Justin growled at the guard, letting go of Connie.
"I don't believe I asked you, Sir."
"I-I would like my husband to be escorted out." Her voice was shaky, and her eyes filled with tears.
He spun his head toward her, his face red with rage.
“It’s time you leave, Sir.”
“This is not over, Constance, not by a long shot. You will get out of here soon enough.”
He stormed out of the room, not looking at anyone. Connie broke, her shoulders shaking as sobs wracked through her. Tilly was by her side in seconds, wrapping Connie’s small frame in her arms. “Shh,” she cooed.
I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
Chapter 11
Jude
Present Day
"I'm sorry about yesterday." her voice was small. "I should not have said or done any of the things I did."
I cocked a brow. This was obviously some kind of ploy. Maybe I had to wait for the insult.
"I am not used to people doing stuff for me, especially things I should be doing on my own. But I know that I need your help if I am going to walk again."
She looked down at her hands which were folded in her lap.
I sighed. “It’s okay, Tara. I know none of this is easy, and if I have done anything to make it worse, I am also sorry.”
“Can we start again?” she asked, a small smile tugging the corners of her lips.
"Of course we can." I grinned. A touch of pink shaded her cheekbones, always a tell-tale sign that she was nervous around me. I noticed it when she was just ten years old. In this moment, she was the girl I used to know. She was still beautiful, her brunette hair in a ponytail, her hazel eyes bright and hopeful. The years always seemed to be kinder to women. We guys have to work to stay half decent.
I stood and walked around my desk, kneeling in front of her. "We can do this, you know?" I said, my hand touching her cheeks before I could stop it. She gasped softly, and I moved my hand away. Our gazes met and held for a second after that I had a feeling there were still many things left unspoken.
I loved the woman sitting before me once, but I had never told her. When I realized that Tara was taken, I gave my heart to another. It took me a whole year to realize that I could not live without Tara, but when I finally built up the courage to tell her, it was too late. She was married and a mother. Maybe everything that happened in my life the last few years was preparing me for this moment right here, helping the girl who stole my heart one night on the docks behind her house.
"Let's get started then," I said, clearing my throat.
