Page 72 of Love and Memories

The tears came, warm and flowing as small memories returned. They were little more than feelings, but the emotions were real. Without any idea how she’d escaped, her thoughts ran wild with every worst-case scenario.

Gunner wouldn’t have let her leave, and he wouldn’t have let her go without a fight.

That had to be the cause of the black eye when Travis found her.

Another realization struck her cold. Maybe Gunner had tried to kill her. The only way he would have let her go was if he thought she was dead.

The truck door opened on her side, and Bella screamed.

“It’s just me. What’s wrong?” Travis asked, clearly shaken by the mere sight of her. “Grady said you ran out of there looking like you’d seen a ghost.”

Shehadseen a ghost–a ghost of her old life come to haunt her in this perfect world she’d been building.

Bella covered her mouth, but it didn’t stop the sobs from breaking through or the tears from falling.

Travis tossed her new coat into the back of the truck and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into the safety he promised. “What’s wrong? Please talk to me.”

“I–I remembered.”

“You remembered what?” he asked as his hold tightened around her.

“The reason the investigator can’t find anything about me. It’s because I was basically a prisoner.” She wiped her face and inhaled a shaky breath. “I don’t know how long I was there, but I know I wasn’t allowed to go outside or have a phone. They controlled everything I did.”

“Who?” Travis asked, low and foreboding as he held her.

“The club. I belonged to Gunner. He–he claimed me, and that meant he owned me.” She fell into another round of sobs. No matter how many times she wanted to tell herself to get it together, she couldn’t stop the tears.

Travis released her and placed his hands on both sides of her face, lifting her eyes up to him. His hold was firm, yet gentle as he looked directly into her eyes.

“Let’s get a few things straight. First, no one owns you. Second, no one will ever hurt you as long as I’m around.”

Of course he would say those things. He had no idea who they were dealing with. The Iron Fist earned that name, and they made sure everyone knew it. “You can’t promise that.”

“Yes, I can. I would do anything for you and this baby.Anything. I dare anyone to test my limits,” he said low and sure.

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with,” she said through hiccups.

A slow smile grew on Travis’s face. “That’s why you’re going to tell me all about it.”

No. She couldn’t. That was the reason no one ever got a ticket out of the club. Rats didn’t just lose their lives, they lost their homes, families, and everything they loved first in the slowest and most painful ways.

Bella pinched her lips together and shook her head. She couldn’t tell. She couldn’t tell anyone. There was a reason her mind had tried to protect her from those memories. Gunner was evil and ruthless. Life without the looming fear of his retribution had been too sweet and too fleeting.

“I can’t,” she whispered.

“Yes, you can. You can tell me, Camille, and the police, and between us, we can keep you safe.”

“You can’t!” she bellowed.

Travis grabbed her hand, holding it lovingly in both of his. “I absolutely can, and I will.”

Another memory surfaced. Gunner promised to protect her from her dad. He’d been so convincing, and she’d believed him wholeheartedly. Little did she know he’d trap her in another abusive relationship instead of saving her.

It was the same scenario. She’d been searching her whole life for a safe place, and they’d all become prisons.

Bella slid her hand out of Travis’s. “Can you…”

She wanted to go home more than anything, but Anna’s house wasn’t hers and it didn’t offer any protection. Who could she even trust? Right alongside the memories of Gunner tearing her apart were flashes of sweetness–the way he’d easily won her over when they first met.

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