Page 35 of No Fear
Rachel swallowed hard, “I-I don’t…”
“I asked Jemma to come because I thought you might want to talk to someone that’s dealt with abuse personally.”
Jemma must have seen the questions on her face because she sighed, “My ex was an abusive piece of shit. He liked to drink and when he did he got violent.” Jemma twisted the ring on her left hand and sighed, “Even when he wasn’t drinking, he verbally abused me for years.”
She hadn’t known that and she blinked in surprise. Jemma had been in an abusive relationship? She seemed so strong, so confident and sure of herself. Rachel couldn’t imagine her putting up with abuse, not for a second, let alone years.
Still, she shook her head, “I d-d-don’t know what you mean. I’ve never even had a boyfriend.”
Skylar frowned, “He doesn’t have to be a boyfriend for it to be abuse, Rachel.”
“And trust me, I get it if you don’t want to say the words.” Jemma shrugged, “I couldn’t say it for… well, for a long time. I denied it to everyone, even to myself. What it took for me to be able to accept I was in a bad situation and that I needed help… I don’t want that to happen to you.”
“B-b-but…”
“I didn’t have any friends around me when things got really bad.” Jemma continued, soft but firm, “I didn’t have anyone that I could turn to, that I could talk to. That’s not the case for you. You have Skylar and you have me. We’re your friends and you can tell us anything. We’ll never judge you. All we’re gonna do is try like hell to be here for you, Rachel.”
Tears pooled in her eyes before she could blink them back. Friends. They were her friends. Sometime after Skylar hired her, she’d realized that the blonde cared far more than a casual employer would. She’d known that Skylar was her friend, almost like a big sister, but she’d never realized that Jemma was her friend too. Sure the feisty redhead came by the salon all the time and they talked and hung out, chatting over dinner and drinks, but she’d always known Jemma was there to see Skylar. She was just the girl that tagged along with them on occasion. Here, now, with the two of them looking at her like they were worried, like they cared, she realized for the first time in her life, she had real and true girlfriends.
She’d never been close to any of the other girls when she was in school. She was too shy, too awkward. Her family had been gossip fodder after her father went to prison and that hadn’t helped at all. She’d drawn back, out of the public eye and she’d all but hidden in that trailer with her sick mother during her teenage years. Since her mom passed and Craig came back into her life, hiding had become her survival instinct. She didn’t put herself out there. She didn’t go anywhere but to work and back home.
But somehow, amid everything bad in her life, she’d found two friends. Two smart, beautiful, strong women considered her their friend. And she was more terrified than ever that when they found out the truth of who her family was and what she was hiding, that she would lose them in addition to the man she was falling head over heels in love with.
Remy.
“Oh God…” The words escaped her lips in a sobbing burst and tears clouded her vision.
“Honey, oh, sweetie.” Skylar was there instantly, wrapping her arms around her, again, and holding her close as Rachel cried harder and harder.
She broke. She just… broke. She’d felt like she might shatter all day and this, the two of them, it was too much. All of their concern and friendship and love, all of the things she’d never had in her life, were too much. And she broke.
She cried into Skylar’s shoulder, so overcome that she barely felt it when her friend moved her to sit in the little waiting area at the front of the salon. Jemma followed, sitting on the other side of her and putting a comforting arm around her shoulders as best she could considering Skylar hadn’t released her. The three of them sat together, huddled on the couch, as Rachel cried herself through the worst of it.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now.” Skylar murmured softly.
“I-I’m not.” She hiccupped as she wiped at her face.
“You are. You’re safe with us. You can trust us. We’re your friends.” Jemma squeezed her hand.
“We’re your family.” Skylar corrected with a small smile, “Or at least, I have a feeling we’re gonna be if Remy gets his way.”
“Ooh, that sounds interesting.” Jemma clearly tried to lighten the mood by forcing a laugh.
“Interesting? You should’ve seen the two of them when he brought by lunch earlier. They’re so damn cute I wouldn’t have been surprised if cupids and unicorns came out to dance around them.”
“Th-that’s… ridiculous.” Rachel wiped at her cheeks again.
“No, it was adorable.”
“Adorable? We’re talking about Remington Bomar, right? Mr. Tall, dark and deadly?”
“Oh, stop.” Skylar snorted, “You’ve seen how he looks at her.”
“Yeah.” Jemma’s smiled returned, soft and warm, “I have, and I already added Remy’s plus one to our table for the wedding next week so you’re sitting with us, right where you belong.”
Rachel glanced between them, chewing her bottom lip nervously, “I-I’m sitting at the family table? But I’m not...”
“Yes. You are, Rach.” Skylar cut her off, “I’ve been telling you forever that you’re my sister. You and Jemma and Billie are the closest thing I’ve ever had to sisters.”
