Page 48 of Justified Fear
“How about I throw together something for you?I made my parents something to eat before they left.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I’m trying my best to keep my mind off the situation, and I’m trying my best not to ask you any questions about where you went tonight.”
Her worry overwhelmed his own concerns about keeping himself closed off from her.Instead, he walked to her and stopped a few inches from her.
“Ask me.”
Her golden gaze flashed up to his.
“I don’t want you to get in trouble.Like, don’t you have to keep some of the investigation secret?”
“I’ll tell you no if I need to.”Even as he said it, he knew he was lying.He would give her anything, and he barely knew her.
“I heard something about a triple homicide?”
He nodded.
“Do you think they’re the guys?”
“Good chance they are.”He would not reveal anything beyond that.
She sighed, then started worrying her bottom lip.
“What’s wrong?”
When she looked up at him, there were unshed tears in her eyes.
Even the night of the attack, she had held it together.Seeing her fall apart at this moment sent alarm racing through him.
“That means there is someone out there.”
Ryan nodded.“We do know the guys never said your name.They were looking for the chef.And remember, they let Ray survive.”
Another sigh.“I hate this fear.”
“You don’t have to be afraid.I know your father improved your security.”
She nodded.“It’s like the first time.”
“In Texas?”
“Yeah.It took me a few months and some therapy to work through it.I’m never going to get to sleep tonight.”
She said the last part as if it were a fact.“I’ll be here.You don’t need to worry.”
She shook her head.“Every time I close my eyes, I hear the shots and the sounds of the men traipsing around the forest after me.I can’t get away from it.”
He stepped closer and pulled her into his arms.He couldn’t think of anything else to do but try his best to comfort her.Just like the night he had found her in that tree, it was like his entire world stopped spinning the moment he touched her.
“I hate being weak.”
“Who called you weak?”
She pushed away from him, and he did not like it.His entire body felt colder.He curled his fingers into his palms to keep himself from grabbing her back.
“I’m calling myself weak.The moment my mommy and daddy had to leave, I started to fall apart.”
