Page 96 of Shelter from the Storm

Just when Gretchen thought she’d gotten her tears under control, something else happened to open the floodgates. “He did?” she whispered.

Shaw nodded. “He said Briggs isn’t here with you.”

“I finally got away.”

His eyes darkened with an anger so intense, it took her aback. “There are two parts of that sentence you’re going to have to explain to me. Got away? That’s a hell of a way to say you left him.”

She bit her lip. “I know.”

“Gretchen…did he hit you?”

She nodded.

Shaw’s expression was pure fury. “Once?”

She hesitated, and Shaw deflated like a balloon.

“He was abusing you? For how long? The whole time?”

Gretchen bit her lip. “No. He didn’t touch me the first couple of years.”

“You were with him for six years, Gretchen. And whenever I talked to you, you acted so happy and in love.”

She didn’t have it in her to confess the truth. In the end, she didn’t have to.

“He was always listening to our conversations, wasn’t he?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“I should have known.”

“How? I told you nothing.”

“I knew the guy was way too fucking old for you. It wasn’t okay for a man in his mid-thirties to take an interest in a teenage girl.”

“He never touched me until I was legal,” she said, because she felt like it was something Shaw needed to hear.

“I don’t care. He was a controlling asshole. I should have seen.” Shaw raked a hand over his close-shaven hair, regret cutting deep grooves into his face.

“No, you shouldn’t have. At the beginning, I genuinely thought I was in love with him, and I was happy—or at least, what I thought happy felt like. Since moving to Gracemont, I’ve learned what true happiness is.”

Shaw considered that. “You said you finally got away. You tried before?”

Gretchen quickly recounted the times she’d tried to escape Briggs.

“That woman,” Shaw said, jerking his thumb toward where Destiny’s car had been parked. “She was the friend you ran to the first time?”

Gretchen nodded.

“I really should have let Hellraiser tear into her,” he muttered.

“Remi’s a good friend. She had my back tonight.”

“She did. And I’m glad. So—who’s Theo Storm and why is he saying you’re his?”

Gretchen’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. He said that?” She threw her eyes heavenward, grinning from ear to ear, uncertain why she should be surprised. “Theo’s a big part of the reason why I’m so happy these days.”

Shaw crossed his arms, and he seemed to grow at least six more inches. “He and I are going to have a long talk tomorrow, and believe me, if one single thing about that man feels off, I’m not going to ignore my gut this time, Gretchen—and I don’t give a shit what you say.”

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