Page 10 of Rescuing Tobias

“I’m okay, Tobias,” she assured him. It was true. Had to be. Somehow, she’d find a way to make it happen. A reason to keep fighting. A way to go back to the woman she’d been before she was taken.

However, despite her assurances, Tobias didn't back off. The hand on her shoulder squeezed gently, the weight of it reassuring in a way she’d never experienced before. His presence by her side had been more appreciated than she thought he realized.

“You're not okay, Isabella,” he said, his voice as gentle as his touch. “But that’s okay. You don’t have to be right now. You're a firecracker, but even fire eventually burns itself out. You’ve been so strong for months now. Living in survival mode, constantly trying to find a way to escape while simultaneously fighting against the people holding you captive. That would wear anyone out. For now, it’s okay to be weak, to rest, to lean on others and let them hold you up for a while. Let them be strong for you.”

Those were pretty words, but who did she have who could hold her up?

Her parents were gone, and she had no siblings or extended family. Sure, she had Becca, but her best friend was building a new life with the man she loved, it wouldn't be fair to impose on her for long. Becca deserved all the good things after what she’d been through. The aid agency she ran with Becca dominated her time, so while she had lots of friends, she wouldn't consider any of them close enough that she would allow them to be her support system.

Maybe she didn't even need a support system. She’d always been independent, it was how her parents raised her to be, and she’d survived that ordeal without having anyone to rely on.

“Don’t shut people out, little firecracker. Everybody needs a helping hand sometimes. I don’t want to see you crash and burn because you thought you could do it all on your own. People care, Isabella, and that’s a good thing.”

Fresh tears filled her eyes, and although she fought them as hard as she could, a couple of them tumbled free anyway. Tobias looked down at her. He was so tall, towering over a foot above her small frame, beneath the black long-sleeve T-shirt and jeans he wore, she knew his body was pure muscle.

It was safe.

He was safe.

Already he’d saved her twice now, by killing one of her tormentors and then by rescuing her. Too bad he wasn't one of the people who cared.

Lifting a hand, he hesitated for a moment, then reached out and brushed the pad of a calloused finger along her cheek, capturing her tears. Then his arms wrapped around her, and he folded her into an embrace.

She tried to tell herself not to fall for it, not to give in, she was strong and independent and didn't need anyone.

Only right now she did.

Tobias might not know her, and while she didn't think he was one of the people he was talking about when he was trying to convince her to let people in, let people be there for her, the soft way he touched her said that he cared.

Too exhausted to figure out what that meant, or if it even meant anything at all, instead she just rested her cheek against his chest, and let him hold her up. Now all she had to do was try to allow the people who loved her to do the same thing. Why did it seem impossible with them, even Becca, who was like her sister, and yet so easy with Tobias?

CHAPTER 4

March 14th

10:15 A.M.

As their feethit the ground, Isabella seemed to relax somewhat.

Comforting her on the plane had been awkward for sure. While Tobias considered his Prey team a family, he didn't have any sort of touchy feely, talk about feelings kind of relationships with any of them. He wasn't an angry silent figure like Josiah was, but he also wasn't close friends like Ava, Teresa, and Chelsea. Even as a child, he’d been a bit of a loner, he’d always felt years older than the other kids even though they were the same age, and it was kind of the same now even though they were all adults.

But there was no way he was going to leave Isabella alone while she was sobbing.

Awkward or not, he’d told her what he knew she needed to hear and gave her the physical contact he was pretty sure she craved even if she wouldn't admit it.

The problem with being a strong person was that sometimes you forgot how to let others in. He would know, he did the samething. But his injury had forced him to learn how to let others help. Now it was time for Isabella to learn that lesson.

Facts were, she could probably make it through the aftermath of her ordeal on her own, but it would not only be that much harder but leave more scars. There was no weakness in accepting help, letting those who cared about you in, and he prayed Isabella figured that out.

He could tell her, but he couldn’t make her accept it.

Or do it.

But maybe there was something he could do.

“Where do you want me to take you?” he asked, keeping his voice neutral. While he had an idea he believed was the best option, he wasn't going to force her to accept it. He’d offer and leave it in her hands.

After all, Isabella had had enough of her power taken from her these last seven months, and he wasn't going to be responsible for taking any more.

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