Page 47 of Protection for Rowan

Command was constantly weighing caution with the need for action. Sometimes it was worth the wait. Other times, the SEALs’ desire to jump into action should have been listened to. But those were decisions above his pay grade. The only thing he and his fellow SEALs could do was tell command how they would execute the raid.

Close to quitting time, Sharp came over. “Hey, Danikadecided to visit Rowan, so I guess we’re eating dinner with you two.”

“Oh, sure. That’s great.”

“She brought over something to heat up. So Rowan won’t need to cook.”

“That sounds great.”

“I think Jay and Nichole will be there, too.”

Relief slid through Shine. “That’s good. Rowan needs people around.”

Sharp’s lips quirked up on one side. "Yeah. Danika liked having people around. I mean, she needed time alone, too, but she enjoyed having someone to talk to. I think they are over there now."

Shine was glad to hear Rowan had someone there for her. He was worried about her. Though she’d talked to her therapist, he felt like she needed something more.

Rowan stood at the window,watching the street. Nichole and Danika were coming over, and she worried that she’d made a mistake. What if they judged her harshly? She didn’t think they would. Nichole had said she’d been held captive overseas, but that was different.

She saw the women pull up out front and her chest grew tight. Living like this, with the fear and worry filling her, sucked. She wanted her old self back but didn’t think she would ever find it.

As they approached the front door, she turned off the alarm and opened the door. The smile both women gave her made her feel better though worry still filled her belly.

“Rowan,” Danika said as she pulled her into a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

Nichole hugged her next and held on a little longer than Danika had. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Tears welled up and she tried to stop them, but having the women here, hugging her like she was a sister, made her weak. Danika shut and locked the door, which made Rowan feel safer.

Danika rubbed her shoulder and squeezed before she headed into the kitchen. “I brought pie.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to. It’s mixed berry.”

Rowan didn’t know if she’d ever had a mixed berry pie, but it sounded good. “I can get coffee going.”

Nichole laughed. “Nonsense. Sit. We’re here to take care of you.”

More tears burned her eyes. “You’re going to make me cry again.”

Danika set down the bag she’d been carrying and turned to face her. “Honey, when my ex was after me, I cried so much. I mean I had to be strong and stuff, but I also hid in my bathroom and cried like a baby while taking showers. I only survived because Sharp was there for me.”

“I feel that way with Shine.”

Nichole grabbed the coffee from the pantry. “It was the same with Jay.”

Danika pulled the pie from the bag. “Our guys hold us together. They aren’t perfect, and they can be intense, but they are good men.”

Rowan nodded, understanding what they meant. She thought she was doing a good job hiding the worry she felt about Shine not being willing to wait for her to get better, but she guessed it was obvious to both women because suddenly they were at her side.

“What’s wrong?” Danika asked.

She shook her head, unsure how to bring up thesubject. The last thing she wanted was to sound whiney. “I just, I don’t feel like myself.”

“And you probably won’t for a while,” Danika said.

“Also be prepared for your basic feelings about yourself to change. It’s hard to explain to someone who has never been held captive how it changes you. I know you’re a psychologist, so academically you understand, but the way your body feels it may not be what you expected.”

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