Page 59 of The Contractor & the Entrepreneur

He studied her, uncertain how to fight this despondency and fear. He wanted to help and he wanted to respect her wishes. How should he react? She wasn’t a fake. He’d seen her strength and resilience many times. After what she’d been through tonight, maybe she simply needed some time to be alone, think, and process. He prayed for insight.

“If you need me to leave, I’ll go,” he finally said.

She only nodded.

He stepped in closer to her and said, “You don’t need to be sorry. Take some time and get some rest.”

Her lip quivered. “Thanks.”

“Sloan, you need to know … you aren’t in your dad’s power. Maybe you had some moments of fear and uncertainty tonight, but you stood up to him, bit his arm, and you protected me from being exploded.” He’d heard that part of the story as she told it to the sheriff. “You are brave and independent, a competent businesswoman and a beautiful woman of faith. I want to stand by your side and support you any way I can. You’ve got me and you’ve got your Savior, your friend Kathy, all the contractors we know, and the entire Coleville family. Only Mama and Papa know you, but all of my family will love and support you. You aren’t alone and your dad isn’t controlling you any longer. He stands no chance against all of us.”

He looked into her deep brown eyes. Were his words sinking in? Usually he could read her emotions, but right now she seemed overwrought and afraid. Not herself at all.

“You are brave, Sloan Jensen.” His voice lowered. “And you are loved, by me and many others.”

He wanted to hold her close, but she had asked him to leave. Walking to the door, he turned to look at her. “Will I see you tomorrow, or are you heading for Vegas?”

“I don’t know.” She folded her arms across her abdomen, her eyes filled with misery. “I’ve got nothing, Rhett. Nothing to give you.”

“You have so much to give, but all I want is your heart.”

She studied him, and he thought for a moment she was leaning forward. Would she come to him?

But then her dark eyes closed off.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered in her husky voice. Then she fled for the bathroom, banging the door closed behind her.

Rhett prayed for help. He had to give her the space she’d requested. He prayed she wouldn’t go back to Vegas, but if that was what she needed, he’d understand and give her time to heal and figure out how she felt about herself and this mess with her father.

He closed the door and typed in the code to lock it.

Rain plunked on his bare head, and he scowled. Rain … again? They’d had one day of sunshine this spring and now the rain was back.

He’d had only a brief glimpse of Sloan this spring.

And now she was leaving him.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

Sloan heardthe door close behind Rhett and finally allowed the sobs to break loose from her chest. Her father had tried to kill Rhett, tried to kill her, threatened and intimidated her, had never stopped manipulating her and her life.

Worst of all, she’d pushed Rhett away when she wanted to cling to him and let him make everything better, kiss away all the pain, strengthen her. She was so weak.

She fell to the rug and prayed until her knees were sore and she still had no answers or strength of her own. The overwhelming feeling she had was to call Kathy and trust Rhett.

Turning on the tub, she watched the warm water fill and then stripped off her dirty clothes and soaked until the water turned cold.

She forced her aching and despondent body out of the tub, dried off, slid into some pajamas and into bed, but sleep didn’t come. She curled onto her side and thought of Rhett’s words and the intensity in his blue eyes.

You are brave.

You are loved.

A beautiful woman of faith.

My family will love and support you.

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