Page 57 of Delicate Escape

I took a mental survey, and shock settled into me. “I feel amazing.”

But it was so much more than that. It was Shep being there for me. Listening without judging. Trying to understand and help.

If I wasn’t careful, I could fall for a man like Shepard Colson. I just wasn’t sure if he’d do the same with me. Not if he knew everything.

22

SHEP

The momentI stepped out of the early morning sunlight and into the old farmhouse, I was greeted by Anson’s amused voice. “Did you down a dozen 5-hour Energy shots and work all night?”

I understood the question. Thea and I had made more progress in a few hours last night than Anson and I had made the two days prior. Partially because I could move quicker now that I knew where the plumbing and electrical wires were. And partly because Thea had taken to demo like a natural.

A grin tugged at my lips as a memory slid through me. Thea, hair tied up in a bun, huge goggles and mask on, covered in drywall dust, and yelling something completely nonsensical as she slammed the sledgehammer into a wall.

“Dude, are you okay? Are you having a stroke?” Anson snapped his fingers in front of my face.

I shoved his hand out of my way. “You should be happy there’s this much progress.”

“I am, but I figured something shitty happened that sent you angry-demoing. But you’re all smiley. Something I haven’t seen you be in months.”

Since before Rhodes was taken. That was what he didn’t say.

I scrubbed a hand over my stubbled cheek. “I brought Thea here last night. She needed to let off some steam. A few hours later, no more wall.”

Anson was quiet for a long moment. “You asked her about Brendan Boseman.”

Just hearing his name out loud had that fiery snake of rage flaring back to life. “Yeah, I asked her.”

Anson simply waited. That was one of his gifts. He knew the power behind silence.

But I was also used to it. Had gotten accustomed to his broody ass since he’d come to work for me a few years ago. So, I met his stare and pulled out my wallet. Pawing through it, I tugged a one-dollar bill free and handed it to him.

“Not going to do a striptease for you because you flashed me a single.”

I flipped him off. “I want to hire you.”

“Uh, Shep, I already work for you. Have for years now.”

I shook my head. “Your shrink half. That means whatever is said between us is held in confidence, right?”

Anson stiffened, instantly on alert. “I’m not a psychologist anymore, and I never really practiced beyond school.”

“Doesn’t mean you aren’t still bound by the same privilege.”

His eyes narrowed. “Well, even if my license hadn’t lapsed, that confidentiality only stays in place as long I don’t think someone is a danger to themselves or others.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Unless Brendan fucking Boseman was his patient.

Anson was quiet for a long moment, and then he lifted the bill, making a show of shoving it into his pocket. “All right, confidentiality in place. But you know you could’ve just asked for that.”

Sure, I could’ve. But Rhodes was friends with Thea. She caredabout her, and Anson knew it. He’d likely be tempted to share tidbits if I didn’t make certain he understood how important it was for him not to betray this confidence.

“Thea was with Brendan for years,” I began.

“Abuser?” Anson asked, not missing a trick.

“Yes. But not in the way you think.” Then I unloaded. I tried to keep things as vague as possible, knowing that Thea wouldn’t want me to share all of it. But I was desperate and didn’t have the first clue how worried I should be or what precautions we needed to take. And I knew Anson would have those answers.

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