Page 30 of Clara's Secure Hideaway

“I won’t rest until you are,” Heath said, meaning it in his very core.

“I’m sorry I didn’t lock the window. I should have known better. I always make a mess of things.”

He tucked his thumb under her chin, making sure she really saw him. Really heard him. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

Mrs. Collins wrapped her arms around her middle. “Listen to him, sweetheart. Mitch is a bad man who is doing bad things. None of that is on you. Ever.”

“I can’t stay here anymore,” Clara said, her voice filled with regret. “He won’t stop until he’s caught. He’ll come back again and again, and next time he could do a lot more damage. I can’t put anyone else who’s come here looking for help at risk. It’s not fair to them.”

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Collins scoffed. “I’ve dealt with worse than him over the years. We won’t let him run you off.”

“It’s not safe here anymore. I’ll find somewhere to lay low. Somewhere he won’t find us. I’ll make it work. I have to.” Clara started to tremble, and the tears came faster.

Claiming the spot beside her, Heath hooked an arm around her shoulders and held her close. Screw professionalism. He’d leapt over that line long before tonight.

Clara melted against him.

“We’ll find you a place to stay,” he said, knowing she was right about the shelter. “Mitch has been here twice. He’s more desperate now than he was before. There’s no telling how far he’ll push things. Or who he’ll destroy in the process.”

Clara pulled back. Her pinched brow asked a dozen unspoken questions. “You’ll help me?”

He pressed his lips together in a firm line so he wouldn’t place a kiss on her scared and battered face. “Always, and I think I already know the perfect place to go.”

12

The crick in Clara’s neck snuck into her awareness before she even opened her eyes, followed by the throbbing pain in her throat and mouth. Flashes of the night before invaded the blackness of oblivion that only came with deep sleep.

She struggled to keep the dark cloak around her, but the aches combined with a tiny kick to her ribs opened her eyes. She blinked against the assault of sunlight and grabbed Davey’s foot to keep from getting in another sleepy attack. Avery slept still on the other side of the sofa, her thumb in her mouth.

Straightening, she oriented herself to her surroundings as the events of the previous evening trickled back. With every available sheriff’s deputy and Pine Valley police officer searching for Mitch, she’d opted to stay at the shelter one more night.

But not in her room.

No, she couldn’t go back to the space Mitch had lain in wait.

She’d stayed in the library where her babies had slept peacefully. Mrs. Collins had stayed with her, both sipping coffee late into the night, anxiously waiting to hear of Mitch’s capture.

They’d drifted off before any good news was delivered.

Her neck screamed as she circled her head to loosen the muscles that cramped up after a long, restless night, and her gaze landed on Heath.

He sat in the armchair across the room, a steaming mug cradled in his palms. His hair was mussed, and wrinkles marred his olive green uniform. His dark beard was more disheveled than normal, but his brown eyes remained alert and fixed on her.

Running her hand through her hair, she struggled to break the tangles then nearly laughed at her attempt. No amount of finger combing would erase the marks on her face. Her looks shouldn’t matter at a time like this, even if every fiber of her being wanted Heath to see past the bruises and cuts. Wanted him to see her as a woman.

An attractive woman.

Heat slammed against her cheeks, and she cleared her throat to force her thoughts back on what was most important. Not some whimsical nonsense regarding a kind man who was just doing his job.

“Did you find Mitch?” she asked.

His face hardened, and he shook his head. “Not yet. We looked all night, and the search is ongoing. We won’t stop until he’s found.”

She might believe he wouldn’t stop looking, but that didn’t mean she had faith Mitch would be stopped.

Frowning, she considered his words. “You worked all day then stayed out all night? What time did you get back here?”

“A couple hours ago. The officer stationed outside the shelter had to leave. I didn’t want you unprotected.”

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