Page 39 of Lucky's Trouble

I shake my head, unable to reach the words to make this right. I’ve never been in a situation like this, never had to comfort someone who’s been through this level of shit. The closest thing I have to compare is seeing Navy after Rigger’s dad—Navy’s stepdad—raped her and beat the shit out of her. It was all kinds of fucked up, but she’s Rigger’s girl, and he was the one to handle it.

But Tinleigh’s my girl, so I better step the fuck up.

“Right before I blacked out, he let me go. I doubled over, trying to catch my breath, which gave him the opportunity to shove me face-first into the floor, and I blacked out. When I woke up, he’d moved me to the bed, where he pulled my pants down, raped me, and left a reminder puddled on my stomach, all while I was knocked out. So there you go. That’s what happened. That’s why I called you, but clearly, it was a mistake.”

I jump to my feet and storm over to her, not realizing how a big man charging at her would make her feel right after recounting her abuse. When her eyes widen, I slow my roll and do my best to soften my expression.

There’s a burning fire of rage deep within my soul that’ll deliver vengeance on that piece of shit. But not right now. Right now, everything in me is screaming to love on this woman after going through hell and coming out on the other side.

Scooping her up in my arms, I carry her over to the couch and settle her on my lap. She grunts her displeasure and struggles a bit, but only for show. If I got a hint of seriousness behind it, I’d let her go, no problem. That’s not what this is. I pull a blanket off the back cushion and drape it over her so she knows this has nothing to do with me wanting my hands on her.

“I’m sorry. I’m so fuckin’ sorry,” I murmur into her ear. Fuck knows why I’m rocking her back and forth, but it feels right, so I keep doing it until she settles. That’s when I hear her tiny whimper and feel her wet tears through the cotton of my shirt. “I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but it’ll be okay. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make it okay.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

TINLEIGH

The dam broke free, and I don’t know if there was any stopping it at this point. Having Lucky rock me like a baby while I sob uncontrollably wasn’t on my BINGO card for the year, but here we are. I can’t even feel guilty about it because it feels too damn good.

He shushes into my ear, trying his best to console me, but I’m inconsolable at this point. I cry for the little girl who was taken advantage of by grown adults, for the teenager who didn’t know enough to not trust men who offer things too good to be true, and for the woman who sacrificed herself to protect her sister.

I don’t know how long we stay like that—could be five minutes or an hour—but eventually, I exhaust myself, and my tears run dry. Lucky’s shirt is soaked through, and there are probably some snot stains I should be embarrassed about, but I’m not. His reaction to my breakdown wasn’t of a weak man freaked out by women’s emotions, so I doubt goobering up his clothing will bother him.

“Did that make you feel better?” he asks.

I shake my head. “No. Just needed a release.”

“I get that, but if you’ll let me, I can show you a better way to get all that shit out.”

I lift my head. “How?”

“Never met a better way to handle being shit on than revenge.”

“I don’t want revenge. I just want to survive,” I say.

“Surviving ain’t worth a goddamn. People prey on those they know will roll over and take it just to survive. That what you want?”

Is it? I thought it was. I accepted the hands I’d been dealt, thinking that’s all there was. Have I been wrong this whole time? If I had fought back, would things be different?

“I’m not like you. My family didn’t build me up. They knocked me down until I was small and weak, and I wasn’t accepted into a group of bikers who would kill for me. It’s different for me.”

“That’s what they want you to believe. But life doesn’t just happen to you; it’s what you make it, and at some point, you have to decide what you want. I think that moment is right the fuck now because I’m here, telling you that if you want change, I can help with that.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“We can talk about all that tomorrow. I think you’re tapped out for the day.”

I swipe at my nose. “Well, that was more than you bargained for, I’m sure.”

“I didn’t bargain for shit. When I told you I got you, I got you. Not just through the good, but through everything.”

“I’m not your problem to deal with.”

“You’re in my house, in my arms, telling me your ugliest truths, and I’m still here. That not only makes you my problem, that makes you my everything.”

“You can’t say shit like that to me.”

“Why not?”

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