Page 54 of Any Cowboy of Mine
“It does.”
“Okay, great. Analise, tell me everything that I need to help represent you and make sure the asshole who did this is put behind bars.”
Sophie took photos of Analise’s face, as well as her chest, arms, and back, because apparently, he’d decided her head wasn’t a big enough target, so he’d unleashed on her whole torso. While they shot the photos, Analise began a story that had Sophie captivated and horrified in equal measure.
When she paused, yawning, Sophie glanced at her watch. They’d spent three hours talking, inadvertently ringing in the new year in the process. Analise had relayed every sordid detail of the attack from her ex-husband, who’d been drinking away his New Year’s and somewhere along the line decided his ex-wife should pay for leaving him after the first few times he beat her up.
He’d gone over to her house, broken the door down when she wouldn’t let him in, and wordlessly beat the shit out of her before calmly walking back out the way he’d come in. He was a freaking sociopath. Sadly, from what Analise told her, he was still walking around out there thanks to some friends in high places. Analise sprinted as far as she could from the home, to the only shelter in Helena that was taking new women and children. If this shabby excuse for a shelter could be considered as much. Sophie would give anything to make a safe, hospitable place these women could come to in times of need. With families, if they had children. This shelter covered the basics, but not a shred more.
Sophie sighed. She wished she could take Analise back to her apartment with her, but that would be wildly inappropriate. Analise needed to talk to the police, and Sophie needed to get some rest before she figured out what to do next. Maybe Analise’s case could be her first pro bono for her new firm.
“Are we finished?” Analise asked.
“We are. We’ll call the police and will be in touch tomorrow.”
“Thank you, both,” Analise whispered. Her voice shook, the first break in her stoic demeanor.
“You’re welcome,” Sophie and Drew said in unison.
Sophie had asked the questions and written down every response, but she knew Drew was behind her, recording the interview and taking his own notes. Sophie was surprised when Analise had consented to allow Drew to remain for the interview, especially because most women Sophie had worked with in her situation recoiled at the very sight of a man.
Drew stepped out for a moment to call the cops, and Analise told Sophie in confidence that her ex-husband had done this almost every month since they’d married. Twice, it had cost her a pregnancy. Sophie’s heart shattered. It would be enough to condemn her ex, but no one should have had to live like that.
The testimony Analise gave was rock solid, especially because, unbeknownst to her crappy ex-husband, she’d had a security camera installed after their divorce. As Analise put it, this was inevitable. That meant there was video as well as forensic proof of his break-in, not to mention the battering of his ex-wife. What a damn shame Analise had to be so forward thinking just to keep herself alive. What did women with fewer resources do to protect themselves?
Sophie told Analise she would try to find a more permanent living situation than this so-called shelter. It was run by people who cared for the victims, but caring wasn’t enough. Somewhere along the line, that had to be backed up by action from those with the means to make a difference. It was bad enough these women were destroyed by the men they’d trusted, but to have to wait out an arrest, and possibly a trial, in squalor like this? It was too much.
They hugged, Sophie being as gentle as she could so she didn’t aggravate any of Analise’s injuries. Sophie demanded that Analise let the police escort her to the ER after their questioning so a physician could get the full extent of the damage. Analise agreed, and Drew and Sophie showed themselves out.
Once she was out of the room, Sophie broke down in sobs. Her whole body convulsed, shaking so hard her teeth chattered. Drew pulled her into his chest and held her tightly until the sobs turned to small cries of injustice.
“Why?” she wailed.
“I don’t know. I wish I did, though.” He patted her back affectionately.
“She was so strong, Drew, and look at me, I’m a mess. Dammit!” She wiped at her face, trying in vain to wipe it clean, but it was a lost cause.
“You did good in there, Sophie,” he said. She smiled up at him and laughed a weak chuckle.
“Where was all this praise when we were together?” she teased.
Drew smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. There was sadness behind his attempt to placate her.
“It took losing you to realize what an amazing woman, what an amazing lawyer you are,” he said. She almost choked on her surprise. Still, it wasn’t at all what she wanted to hear. It was definitely too late for them in that way. She could never go back to Drew feeling how she did about Brad.
“Drew, I—” she started. He cut her off quickly, though.
“Now, don’t take that the wrong way,” he told her. “I know there’s no way we would ever be good together as a couple, but that doesn’t mean I’m not sorry I let you go from the company. A couple days after you walked out of that restaurant, I took a good, hard look at the offer I made you and was surprised you didn’t throw your drink in my face. It was insulting, and you were right to turn it down.”
“Yeah, well, my drink tasted too good to give you the satisfaction,” she chided. He laughed again, surprising her. One month had done his demeanor a world of good. Sure, he was still uptight, and more than a little controlling, but there was a noticeable difference in how relaxed he was, how repentant.
“Well, I won’t make that mistake again,” he said. He pulled out an envelope and handed it over to Sophie.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Just open it. It’s my apology for not seeing how irreplaceable you really are.”
Sophie shivered as she opened the envelope, careful not to tear the papers inside.
