Page 97 of Finding Forever

She remembered his mocking words clearly,if you’re so desperate for a job, you can assist the teachers at your school.

He’d personally escorted her back to the school, which had been only too happy to take her back because it meant his generousdonationswould continue. And so, she’d spent the next ten years stagnating in an insular world where the surly staff had merely tolerated her and the students disdained her. She’d had no peers, no outside interests, no life.

Until Granger had decided that it was time for one of her annual public “appearances” a few months ago, informing her she’d accompany the family to the Hawthorne annual charity gala. A development that had forever altered the course of her life.

Cade was still murmuring gentle words of reassurance in her ear, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the large, comfortable sofa in the living room. She followed obediently, not quite ready to relinquish the security she felt in his strong arms. She wasn’t sure where they would go from here, or what his earlier outburst about her pregnancy meant for their future, but right now, she felt safe, evencherished. And she wanted to cling to that feeling of well-being for as long as possible.

He sat down, bringing her down with him and dragging her onto his lap in one smooth movement. She didn’t protest, curling up against his chest and burying her face against his fleecy hoodie as she continued to weep heartbrokenly.

One of his hands was rubbing soothing circles over her back while the other was buried in her hair. He continued to whisper quiet, sweet words in her ear and after a couple of minutes, the worst of the storm abated and Fern lifted her wet face self-consciously to peer up into his face through hot, swollen eyelids.

“I’m sorry, I’ve soaked your hoodie.”

He quirked a wry smile, but his eyes were somber.

“I’ll survive” he murmured, repeating his reply of earlier when she’d voiced a similar concern. He shifted slightly, so that she wasn’t leaning against him anymore, and interpreting the movement as a prompt for her to get off his lap, she sat up to do just that. His hand instantly clamped over her bare thigh and stayed the movement.

“No. Don’t leave,” he said in a low tone. He released her thigh, to quickly and efficiently, unzip and shrug out of his hoodie. He was wearing a soft gray T-shirt beneath it, and tenderly ran his hands under her fall of hair to cup the nape of her neck, before gently urging her head back down to his chest.

She happily complied, melting against him, as she cuddled closer.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and they felt like a fortress. Fern curled up against him, burrowing her face against his hard chest, her cheek coming to rest against one of his hard pecs. She could hear his steady heartbeat thumping heavily beneath her ear, and it reassured her even further. Nobody could convince her that this wasn’t the safest place on earth right now.

“Fern?” he whispered against her hair.

“Hmm?”

“Why did you leave tonight? Were you trying to get away from me? Did I frighten you?”

She didn’t lift her head, but shifted her shoulder in a tiny shrug.

“I just wanted to clear my head.”

“I was so fucking… terrified. I’d already called the security company, and was about to go out and search for you in the meantime.”

“You couldn’t possibly have known which direction I’d gone,” she said, lifting her head to stare at him in disbelief.

“Anything was better than sitting and waiting, while going out of my mind with fear imagining all the terrible things that could happen to you.”

She chewed on her lip and dropped her head back on his chest.

“Thank you for… for caring.”

“I don’t hate you, Fern. I think that hating you would be an impossibility.”

The words emerged in a rush, the hushed confession seeming to surprise even him.

She didn’t reply. Instead, she sighed in contentment—allowed herself to relax completely for the first time since they’d landed in this cold, gray city—and, despite the tension of the evening, fell asleep.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

Once again, Cade found it damned near impossible to let her go. She was so small and vulnerable and, after everything she’d revealed tonight, his protective instincts were in overdrive.

She’d been through so much shit in her life. Too much for one small, fragile woman to endure. The last thing she needed was a bully of a husband piling onto the insecurities she was already dealing with.

And Cadehadbeen a bully. Of that he was certain. He’d said regrettable things, brutalized her with his words, when all she was trying to do was forge a path to happiness. He had to do better.

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