Page 24 of Breakaway

“Yep. Just being careful.”

Lifting her from the car, I carry her into the elevator, up to my place and straight to the bathroom.

“Babe, go to the bathroom. I’m going to get you a shirt to sleep in.” I wait for the toilet to flush and the sink water to come on. Hands under the water, she looks totally lost, exhausted, and shutting down.

Turning off the water, I dry her hands and help her undress before slipping my T-shirt over her head. In the bedroom I throw back the covers and urge her to lay down.

She shakes her head. “I can’t. I need to stay awake. I need to be careful, to watch.”

My heart fucking breaks. How long has it been like this for her? How long has she been afraid? “Not tonight honey. Tonight, you sleep and I watch. You’re safe here. I’ll protect you.”

“Why?”

“Because I care.”Because I’m falling in love with you.

“You’ll stay?”

“Yes.”

She crawls under the covers. “I’m still cold.”

“Give me a minute.” I change into sweats and then lie on top of the covers behind her. “Snuggle back. I’ll keep you warm and watch over you.”

She hesitates, and I think she’s going to refuse. After learning everything we have, I realize how hard trust is for her and I can’t blame her. To my surprise, she rolls to her side, slips her arm under the pillow to cradle her head and snuggles her back against me. In minutes I feel her totally relax and slip into slumber.

I need to end this nightmare for her. To do that, I need her to trust me to know who she can depend on.

Holding her feels like home. I hope I can convince her she’s safe with me.

CHAPTER 14

Caitlyn (Cat)

I wake to the delicious smell of coffee and bacon. I’ve never smelled it in the apartment before. Mel must be cooking an extra-large batch. I snuggle deeper into the fluffy pillow.

Reality hits and I bolt upright. This isn’t my threadbare bed and pillow. This is luxury. The low timber of a known voice seeps into the room and vague memories wash over me.

Baylor demanding that I throw the game. Leaving the team. Stumbling into a car. Turk saving me. Warm, comforting arms wrapped around me. The best sleep I’ve had in years. Sitting up I see the dent in the covers and pillow behind me. He did hold me through the night.Snuggle back. I’ll keep you warm and watch over you.

Crawling from bed, I find the bathroom. A peach and black sweat suit and wrapped toothbrush are laying on the counter with a note.

Tatum dropped these clothes off for you. She’ll be back later.

After dressing I shore up my courage and follow the tantalizing smells to the kitchen. Turk is sitting at the breakfast bar cupping a mug of coffee between his palms. An older gentleman is in the open kitchen cooking. Seeing me first, he smiles. “How do you take your coffee, Caitlyn?”

Turk turns in his chair, smiles and holds his hand out to me. I take it and climb onto the barstool next to him where there’s an empty place setting. “Just a little cream, please.”

Turk gets the coffee as the other man dishes a plate of food and slides it to me. “I…”

The older man smiles and shakes his head. “Eat first, then we talk.”

Truth, the plate he puts before me smells so good I can’t help myself. I eat, he cleans, and Turk is texting on his phone. Reality comes crashing down.

Turk’s phone pings and he looks at the screen, then at the man across from him. He hits a button. “I just buzzed you in. Come on up.”

“Would you like more coffee,” the other man asks.

I nod as I push my empty plate aside. He refills all our cups and pours two more. “Let’s go to the living room and get comfortable.”

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