Page 43 of Life

Eli changes lanes and taps his fingers against the leather steering wheel. “I’m not going to let him get to you.” He speaks with a sincerity that pierces through to the soft, gooey side of me.

I slant my head against the seat and check out his profile. His square jaw and full head of hair complement a strong Roman nose and high cheekbones. Even from the side he’s still the most handsome man I’ve ever known. And I thought his brother was a catch in the looks department. Which he was, but Elijah is unique, more edgy. There are enough subtle differences in the two men to really see how special both of them are in their own right. The more time I spend with Eli, the more I like him. Not just the handsome package, but his protectiveness, confidence, alpha nature, and even for the sweetness like last night when he held me tight so I’d feel safe. And I did. In his arms is the only place I feel any sense of peace. Still, Antonio is out there, and I know him better. He’ll never stop.

“I know you believe that, but I know Antonio.” I frown.

“But you don’t know what I’m capable of, either.” His tone is straightforward and direct.

“Si. I don’t. How’s about we get to know one another a little bit better?” I turn my frown upside down and decide I’m going to make an effort with this man—at the very least, get to know more about what makes Elijah Redding the man he is today. I shimmy into a more comfortable position.

He smiles and drums his fingers against the steering wheel again. “Shoot. Ask me anything.”

I think about it for a couple seconds. “Okay, where have you been the past few years?”

“Working all over the nation. I’d take a job in Omaha that would lead me to New York, which would send me off to Florida. Wherever the high-profile needs were, I went. I try to keep my home base in San Francisco though.”

“And you never got lonely on the road?”

He glances my way, and the look in his eye says, “Are you sure you want to know the answer to that question?”

“Babe, I had my bed warmed when I needed it. Most of the time I was busy trying to catch criminals.”

I nod. “I can see that. So let’s start with something easy. Favorite food?”

“Steak.”

“Shocker.” I roll my eyes. “Mine’s Italian.”

He grins. “Like I couldn’t have guessed that one.”

“Are you calling megrasa…fat?” I sit up more completely in my seat, making sure my curves don’t create a muffin top over my pants, adding to his point.

His eyes widen and he shakes his head. “No, I’m calling you Italian.”

I laugh. “Oh.Si. I am half Italian and half Spanish.”

“Got that from your body, babe. No woman has an hourglass figure, a speck of a waist, and is tall like you are with such a fiery temper without being Italian or Spanish, or in your case, both.” He winks.

“Whatever.”

“My turn.” He purses his lips. “Do you mind if I ask about your past?”

I shrug. “Depends on what you want to know.”

“I want to know why a woman who’s as smart, talented, and as beautiful as you are stayed with a man who beat and tortured her every day for years?”

His words hit my heart like an avalanche on the snowy mountains of Lake Tahoe, covering my soul with an icy chill. I kick off my boots and put my socked feet up on the seat. Eli waits, focusing on the road, not forcing me along. I appreciate his patience more than I’m willing to show. Finally, I decide I have to take the plunge and get it over with.

“Honestly, Tony was the man of my dreams. He was the answer to my prayers. I wanted someone to care about me. Antonio, he cared too much.” I take a full, deep breath in and let it out slowly before continuing. “At first, the abuse started small. Yelling, accusing me of things I didn’t or wouldn’t do. Then, after a year, it progressed to shoving me into things, to the floor, etcetera. Each and every time he’d apologize, promise never to do it again… The usual. Then he started in on the mind games. Making me believe I’d wronged him in some horrible way.”

“But you knew you didn’t. Somewhere deep that fire inside had to tell you he was full of shit.” Eli’s tone is soft, sweet even.

I nod and frown. “Si, but he made me believe I was wrong somehow. That I was the one constantly jeopardizing our relationship. He’d accuse me of not loving him enough or not as much as he loved me. When you have someone belittling you over and over… I don’t know, it starts to stick. You trust the lies.”

Eli scratches a hand over his chin. “I can see that.”

“You can? I mean, you don’t see me asdébilesbecause of it?” Anxiety fills my limbs with a jittery mess of discomfort.

“Weak? Nah. Far as I can see, you made do in a touchy situation. But why didn’t you leave?” He places a hand on my knee. The touch is one of compassion, not lust, and is exactly what I need to keep going.

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