Page 6 of The Promise Of Rain
I nodded, struck dumb that he remembered.
As he gave our order, the front door opened, admitting first Maggie, then Baxter.
I fixed my eyes to Deacon’s face as my stomach plummeted to my feet before shooting back up like a boomerang.
I was living my worst nightmare.
Thankfully, Deacon sat with his broad back to the whole group.I needed time to clear up the whole mess before he realized they were there.
Before he realized Baxter wouldn’t speak to me, and Maggie could barely meet my eyes.
I clasped my hands in front of me, readying myself to finally tell Deacon what happened when Eric’s sharp whistle drew Deacon’s attention and slashed that feeble hope to ribbons.
I smiled, my lips trembling, and waved away Eric’s invitation for me to join them.He obviously didn’t know who I was with.
Miller waved for us both to come over.
What was he doing?
He had to know who I was with.Maybe he was as tired as I was of carrying this shit around and wanted it out in the open.
Even if it meant bloodshed.
Deacon twisted in his seat to see who whistled, his muscled back going rigid as he locked eyes with Baxter.
Fiery hostility emanated from his big body as he half rose from his seat, the first real sign of warmth since he sat down.
But it wasn’t the kind of heat I craved from him.
I slapped my hand over his muscled forearm, my fingers singing at the contact even as I whispered frantically.“Sit down, Deacon.Please.Baxter didn’t do anything wrong either.”
The heat of his body pulsed under my palm, warming me like nothing else ever had.
Or ever would.
He returned his fierce attention to me.Hard eyes narrowed, jaw unyielding, he dropped his gaze to my hand on his arm before biting out, “He did nothing wrong?”
I snapped my hand back and cocked an eyebrow, my stomach clenched in a knot.“Not a darn thing.”Finally, something other than fear reared up in my chest.“If you’d returned my calls back then, you’d know that.”
He shook his head slowly.“I saw you.The evidence was pretty damning, Jenny.”
He saw me.
I had called for him, over and over.
The fact he saw me like that made me sick.
“I’m not saying it wasn’t,” I replied evenly, pushing the memory of that night away even as I searched for the words to relay the events that tore us apart.“And if you’re still not willing to listen to the truth, you should leave right now.”
I worked to maintain an aura of calm though I was anything but.My insides roiled like a butter churn, my heart thudded in my throat, and my mind raged against going back to that dark place.
He dipped his chin briefly, his mouth stern.“I’m listening.”
There would be no compassion from this quarter; the comfort I’d longed for all these years would never come.
Inhaling quickly, I gave him the Cole’s notes.“Baxter’s father drugged me, stripped me, and put me in Baxter’s bed in order to destroy his relationship with Maggie.”
Deacon stared back at me, his face blank.
