Page 8 of Shattered

Just like I vowed, when her knees started to buckle under the weight of her admission, I caught her before she hit the floor. With one arm curled around her back and the other hooked behind her knees, I lifted her against my chest. Maneuvering us to sit on the couch, I steadily tightened my grip on her, trying to stem the vicious tremors racking her slight frame.

“You’re safe, Jade.”

I pressed my lips to her temple, whispering the same words over and over until the shaking lessened. Threading our fingers together, my thumb traced invisible circles across the back of her hand. She nestled her head against my chest as more words began to flow.

“After he strapped me to the chair, I was helpless to do anything except watch as he did the same to Henley. Then he pulled out his phone and started recording. I thought I’d seen every evil the world had to offer, but I was so very wrong.” Tipping her head, tear-laced eyes clashed with mine. “There was such venom in his voice, such anger.”

Leaning my head against hers, I whispered, “Words aren’t enough to express how sorry I am, Angel. No one should ever have had to go through what you both did, and Ican see how much it’s still torturing you. Have you considered speaking with someone?”

“I thought that’s what I was doing?”

“And I’m beyond grateful you chose me, but I mean a professional. A therapist. Promise me you’ll think about it.”

After a few lingering seconds, I decided to let her off the hook and change the subject. Not that the new topic was any less painful.

“Tell me about your gran.”

“What are we doing, Koen?” She sighed, shifting in my lap.

“We’re getting to know each other better.”

“Why?”

“Why not?”

She began to fidget, nearly breaking our connection with her nervousness, but I held firm. Finally, her face softened and she opened her delectable mouth.

“Gran was the best. Growing up, I both dreaded and dreamed about our annual visit with her.”

“Why dreaded, Angel?”

“Because no matter how much we begged,theywouldn’t let her keep us.”

Theybeing her good-for-nothing parents. I’d heard from Keaton how the assholes took off, leaving Jade to raise Jett all on her own. There was a special place in hell for those bastards.

“Have you heard from them at all?” Her swift inhale was very telling. She had. “What did they want?”

“Two things they’ll never get from me. Money and Jett.”

A red haze filled my vision as the veins at my temple pulsed with anger. Making a mental note to have Nelson look into them, I shoved all thoughts of revenge to the sidemomentarily. There’d be plenty of time to deal with them later.

“Fuckers,” I growled.

“Pretty much.”

“You call me if they show up again, Jade.” She started to argue, but the words died on her tongue when she looked up and saw the resolve on my face. At her nod, I pushed further. ”Why, after all this time, would they want access to Jett?”

“They want to use his big brain to get their windfall at the casinos. That’s what they alluded to anyway.” I squeezed her hand, prompting her to continue. “When I told them there was no way they’d get either, they threatened to take me to court to gain custody.”

“They relinquished their parental rights, didn’t they? There’s no chance a judge would take him from you.”

“They didn’t, actually, at least not legally. I went to court with the crap paperwork they left and got guardianship over him.”

“You’re worried.”

“I’m terrified. I’m a single, twenty-two-year-old waitress, who can barely pay the bills each month. Any lawyer worth their salt would roast me on the stand.”

“Marry me.”

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