Page 52 of Delicate Escape

“Did you ever consider that it was none of your business?” she shouted.

“I care about you, Thea.”

Tears sprang to her eyes then, making the brown glisten. “You can’t.”

“Too late,” I said, taking a step toward her.

Thea took two steps back, shaking her head viciously. “You can’t care. You can’t look. You can’t.”

“What happens if I care? What happens if I look?”

She stared at me for a long moment, tears tracking down her face. “You’ll hate me.”

Everything in me stilled. It was as if my heart stopped beating right before it shattered. I couldn’t keep myself from moving then. I ate up the space between us in four long strides.

My hand slid along her jaw to cup her face. “There isn’t a thing you could tell me that would change the way I see you. The only thing it’ll change is knowing just how strong you are to have made it through it all.”

A sob tore free of Thea’s throat, and I couldn’t hold myself back. I wrapped my arms around her, cocooning her as more sobs racked her body. I never would’ve thought that such vicious movements could come from such a delicate form. But I shouldn’t have been surprised. Thea was iron forged in flame. Stronger than anyone could’ve known.

I held on to her as she cried, each sob shredding my chest. But I took them all, knowing she had to let it free.

“Y-you don’t know. You won’t want anything to do with me.”

I lifted her into my arms, striding around the house and up the deck to where the chaise lounge was. I lowered us to it, keeping her cradled against me as I did. “Try me,” I whispered against her neck.

She shook her head but burrowed into me. “I don’t want you to look at me any differently.”

I slid one hand up and down her back as the other stroked her hair. “Did you murder someone in cold blood?”

“No,” she whispered.

“You steal from the elderly?” I asked.

“No.”

“Hurt a puppy?”

“Of course, not.” Thea’s voice was barely a rasp as she spoke.

“Then I’m not going to see you differently.”

She pulled back then, her eyes searching mine. “You don’t know that.”

“Youdon’t know. Not unless you try.” My fingers wove through hers. “You said you trusted me.”

“I trust you more than anyone, other than my best friend, Nikki.”

That was something, Thea speaking the name of someone I’d never heard her mention before. Giving me a little piece of her past.

“Thank you,” I whispered. Thea stared back at me, still not moving to speak. “Did he hurt you?”

Just having to say the words aloud was almost more than I could take. If she said yes, I wasn’t sure I could stop myself from hunting Brendan down and showing him what pain truly meant, consequences be damned.

“He never hit me. Never laid a hand on me in anger. There were no bruises, no broken bones, no proof.”

My brows drew together. “No proof?”

Thea pushed up fully, tugging her hand from mine and shoving her hair out of her face. I thought she might be getting ready to bolt, but instead, she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly.

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