Page 105 of No Fear
Chapter Twenty
Rachel stared at her reflection in the small bathroom mirror and told herself that she wasn’t going to cry. Not again. Not anymore. There was nothing left to cry about. It was over. Craig was gone. Remy had saved her. They were starting over and this time around she wasn’t going to be a scared crybaby that hid behind everyone else.
She tilted her chin up and blew out a rough breath.
Her bad night was written all over her face. Her busted lip had scabbed over but still ached whenever she moved her mouth. She dabbed at it with her tongue as she willed the tears that wanted to form back. Her left cheek was one giant bruise. The blue and purple discoloration ran from her eye all the way to her chin. The colors were stark against her red and swollen eyes. It looked even worse than it felt and it didn’t exactly feel good.
She sniffled slightly as the memories came back and dropped her gaze to where her hands white-knuckled the sink. Deep breath in and then deep breath out. Count it out. Remy had taught her that last night in bed when she’d woken screaming from the bad dream that was actually a memory. He’d held her close and told her she was safe until the worst of the shivers stopped and then he’d told her how he dealt with his own bad memories. The memories of Chrissy and Decker and all the friends he’d lost overseas in combat. The memories of the men he’d killed. He’d said the memories never really went away but he’d learned to deal with them, to cope with them, and she could to. As long as they had each other to hold onto, they would make it through this.
Rachel got her breathing back under control and then focused on the only thing she could. The present. She couldn’t spend any more time looking backwards. Couldn’t wonder about thewhat ifsor thecould have beens. Not anymore. Her old life was over and there was no going back. She didn’t want to go back. But she couldn’t focus on the future yet either. There were too many questions there too. Too many problems, too many unknowns, because she wasn’t naïve enough to think there wouldn’t be repercussions for what had happened last night.
Even if she didn’t question whatever lengths the Bomars had gone to in order to protect Remy, and her, she knew the cops would have questions.
They would be by and soon. It wasn’t exactly a secret in town that she’d been staying with Remy lately. They went everywhere together. The cops would figure out where she was and they would come out here to talk to her, and to Remy, about the fire at the trailer. He’d told her not to worry about it but she couldn’t help it.
She went through the motions. She brushed her teeth. She combed her hair. She twisted it up into a messy top-knot and refused to think about how many things she would have to buy to replace what had gone up in flames in the trailer. She’d left almost everything behind when she went to Remy’s but she’d always thought if she needed something, she could pick it up when Craig wasn’t around. Now all of her belongings were a smoldering pile of ash. Even little stuff like her headbands and scrunchies, not to mention her makeup were all gone.
Rachel stared at her reflection again and winced at the reminder that she had no makeup to cover up her face. She’d never worn a lot of makeup anyway but she’d had concealer since the day Craig moved in with her. She’d needed it to cover the bruises because even if he’d tried to put them where nobody would see, he’d lost it more than once and smacked her across the face. She touched her cheek lightly and swallowed hard. This was the last bruise Craig would ever put on her body. He could never hurt her again. He could never hurt anyone ever again thanks to Remy.
“Babe?”
She smiled softly when she heard his voice from the other side of the bathroom door. She’d been in here for a while. He must have gotten worried. She slid the door open and leaned against it. Her heart swelled in her chest at the sight of Remy’s broad frame taking up the entirety of the small doorway. His eyes were dark and his mouth was twisted into a grim line. He hadn’t shaved this morning and the dark stubble on his handsome face made his rough edges even rougher. He opened his arms and she went into them instantly.
He held her tight and some of her fears slipped away. They were going to be okay. They were going to get through this. Together.
“Easy, baby.” He cupped the back of her head and pulled her back just enough he could look down into her eyes, “You okay?”
She nodded.
The furrow between Remy’s brows only deepened and he stroked his thumb over her jaw, one of the only places he could touch that wasn’t bruised, “I don’t know how that could be true but I promise you… you will be.”
“I know.” She cuddled into his touch.
She loved this man so much. There was no hesitation in the way he touched her. He made her promises as if he would never let her down. And he hadn’t. Not once. From the moment she met him, he’d done nothing but be there for her. Be her friend. Be her shoulder. Be her strength. Now it was her turn to stand tall and be strong for him.
“I’m okay. I am, or I will be. I told you, I only need you.”
“You’ve got me, baby.” He kissed her forehead, “And you’ve got a lot more than just me.”
She pulled back to look up at him again, “Huh?”
Remy smiled, a sheepish thing full of white teeth and dimples, “My entire family wants to see you. They want to hug you and hold you and see that you’re safe. They love you, Rachel. Just like I do.”
She felt tears well behind her eyes again, “Everyone?”
“Everyone.” He nodded, catching a stray tear that escaped from the corner of her eye before it could fall, “Colt told Sky what happened last night, as least as much as he knows. She’s been texting me all morning to see if she can come over. She must’ve told Jemma too because Mama Bear has left a half dozen messages.”
“Oh… I… I should probably call them back.”
“I wasn’t done.” Remy smirked, “Bentley said if you need anything, to call him and he’ll get it for you. Ford called, he actually called instead of sending a text. My cousin that never says ten words if he can help it actually called to check on you and wanted you to know he packed a small bag with a couple of things he thought you might want before he burned the trailer. And Lincoln…”
A loud banging noise interrupted Remy and Rachel jumped a foot off the ground. He winced and pulled her close and she blushed immediately when she recognized the loud noise for what it was. Not a gunshot. Not a threat. Someone was knocking on the door of the trailer, that was all.
All of Remy’s kind words that had been wrapping around her heart, were forgotten. She forgot how amazing it felt to know that she had family that cared about her. Not just Remy. Not even just Skylar and Jemma. She had Colt and Cash. Bentley was her friend and Ford was… well, she thought he just might be the big brother figure she’d always wanted and never gotten in Craig. She had family, but that knock on the door was a threat that could take it all away.
“The cops?” She felt her bottom lip tremble.
“If it is, we’ll get through it.” Remy kissed her forehead when the knocking came again, “Just tell them what we discussed. Nothing more. Short one word answers are best.” He managed a small smile for her, “You’re quiet and shy, remember?”
