Page 124 of Delicate Escape

There was a desperation in Raina’s voice that had me taking a step away. It hurtled me back in time, to a season where I’d done the exact same thing. I’d lied to Nikki’s face and told her everything was fine. That I was happy. Because admitting how bad things had gotten was more than I could bear.

“Okay. But if you change your mind, I’m always here. Anytime, day or night.”

Raina ignored me, going back to loading up her cart.

I stayed for a moment longer, hoping she’d change her mind and tell me she wanted to leave the bastard. But she didn’t.

Shoulders slumping, I turned toward the parking lot. The second I looked up, my eyes locked with amber ones that flashed gold in the afternoon sunlight. Shep leaned against the back of his truck. It was a sight that had my mouth going dry.

That damn white T-shirt and dark-wash jeans, his Colson Construction ballcap shielding his eyes. But the way the sun was positioned, I could still see them beneath the bill. As I started towardhim, Shep pushed off the truck. His muscles bunched and flexed as he moved—broad shoulders, defined chest, powerful thighs.

The moment I was within reach, he hauled me into him. “You okay?”

I didn’t hold back, simply burrowed into Shep. Because he’d come to mean comfort, safety, and reassurance when the world went haywire around me. “Raina has a bruise on her cheek. It’s old, but I saw it.”

Shep tensed, and I felt his focus flick to Raina and then back to me. “She say anything?”

I pulled back just enough that I could see his face and shook my head. “Nothing except she didn’t need my help.”

Shep’s expression softened, but I didn’t miss the fury beneath it. He reached up and brushed my hair away from my face, fingers lingering in the strands. “You tried. But you can’t force her to take your help. She has to reach out.”

“I know,” I whispered. “I just…I hate him for doing this to her. He’s broken her.”

“Thorn.”

“I know what that’s like. To be too scared to even reach for help.”

Shep’s hold on me tightened. “But you did. You got out. And we have to hope Raina will, too. We’ve given her all the paths we can.”

My hands fisted in Shep’s tee, the soft cotton soothing. Sometimes, it felt like my getting out of the relationship with Brendan had been nothing less than a miracle. I’d been so exhausted, I was ready to give up altogether. It had been one tiny flicker of strength when everything else had been pure darkness.

The blast of rage I’d received in return had been a weird balm. Because Brendan had been thousands of miles away filming a movie, I’d felt safe, even relieved. But I hadn’t realized he could reach me even then.

Shep’s thumb ghosted over my bottom lip. “I’m in awe of you.”

I blinked up at him.

“So fucking strong.”

“I don’t always feel like that. Didn’t feel that back then. I felt so weak.”

His thumb stayed there, right at the swell of my lip. “You got out when you felt weakest. That just shows the depth of your strength. You clawed your way out, even if you had to crawl. Strength doesn’t matter when we’re at our best; it matters when we’re at our worst. And I don’t know anyone who’s stronger than you.”

My breath hiccuped, a hitch at the power of his words. Shep was always one who could shift my view of an experience just enough that my whole world changed. “I like the way you see me.”

He stared down at me, his gaze locked on mine. “I just see the truth.”

My throat burned, but I refused to get teary for a second time today. “You gonna take me home so I can show you how I feel about that, Shepard?”

Shep’s eyes flashed gold. “Fuck.”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed.

Shep bent then, throwing me over his shoulder and stalking toward his truck.

“Shep!” I squealed as I tried to twist out of his hold.

His arm locked across my thighs.

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