Page 98 of Delicate Escape

“Thea, baby,” I whispered.

There was no answer.

I slid a hand over her jaw, turning her head gently so I could cup her face. “Thorn.”

She blinked a few times as if finallyseeingme. “Shepard?”

My full name was a gut punch, followed by an uppercut to the ribs at her confusion at my being there.

“You’re okay. You’re safe.”

Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. “Am I?”

Hell.There was more than fear in those green eyes. There was defeat.

I glanced down at the table, and my blood ran cold. Lying therewas a piece of paper. Standard-sized with a photo of Thea printed on it. She was walking toward The Mix Up but completely unaware that a photo was being taken. And around it were all sorts of ugly things. Things that had me struggling not to flip over the table.

Anson appeared then, holding a pair of what looked like food prep gloves and a fresh Ziploc bag. “Better than nothing.” He donned the gloves and reached for the paper.

“Don’t,” Thea cried. “Don’t look at it. I don’t want—” Her voice broke. “I don’t want anyone to see it.”

Fuck.Her words sliced at my goddamn chest. I reached over and lifted Thea onto my lap, cradling her against my chest. “No one’s going to see that fucking paper for anything except the lies it is.”

Thea trembled against me. “No one can know. If they know, he could find me.”

Anson and I shared a look as he bagged the letter, eyes scanning. What neither of us wanted to say was that Brendan might already have.

Anson pitched his voice low. “We need to call Trace.”

Thea pulled back, shaking her head vehemently. “No. You can’t. I can’t have law enforcement involved. Everything will be on record. Please.”

My heart broke at her pleas. There was so much fear and pain. I lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. “Trace will work around that. He won’t expose you.”

“I can’t,” Thea whispered. “Alone is what’s safe.”

I pressed my forehead to hers. “You let me in. And you stayed safe, right?”

Thea let out a shuddering breath. “Yes.”

I pulled back a fraction so I could meet her eyes. “Trace can help. We need him.”

Thea sank her teeth into her lower lip.

“Please?” I asked. “Trust me. Just a little more faith.”

Thea’s lips parted on an inhale, and those green eyes locked with mine. “I trust you.”

And that slayed me. I just hoped to God I didn’t fail her like I had Rhodes.

38

THEA

I knew I should move,get off Shep’s lap, and sit in a chair. I was fine. I was safe. So someone had sent me a cruel letter. So what?

But every time I caught a glimpse of that paper, frigid, icy claws of dread dug in and twisted. It was the kind of bitter cold that made your bones hurt. The type that should’ve been impossible on an eighty-five-degree day.

Shep’s hand moved up and down my back in a soothing gesture. I tried to focus on that—the warm reassurance. His steady presence.

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