Page 52 of Harbor (The Wanderers 3)

“Thank you.”

As Maya turned to leave the room, Advic met her gaze and rose to his feet. He was humbled by her ability to know exactly what to say to Ana. A woman she didn’t even know. A stranger in need.

It was the kind of thing Advic knew Maya did every day of her life—help strangers survive another day, but it probably didn’t usually take place in this form. She was an amazing woman.

He was humbled.

She grabbed his hand on the way by and gave enough of a tug for him to realize she wanted him to follow her.

He would follow her to the moon if she let him.

When they stepped into the small hallway, Rick was waiting.

Maya smiled at him. “She’s going to be okay. Just give her time.”

Rick set a hand on Maya’s shoulder. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Maya headed for the other exam room, not even glancing toward the residence, her grip tight on Advic’s hand.

When they entered, she shut the door and leaned against it. She surprised him further when she grabbed his biceps, tipped her face down, and set her forehead on his chest. Her body started shaking as she silently sobbed.

He slid his hands to her shoulders, absorbing her pain as she let the stress of reliving her past wash through her. His heart hurt for the younger Maya who’d been through hell and come out on the other side.

He didn’t say a word while she cried, suspecting she rarely ever cried and certainly not in front of anyone. She was vulnerable and exposed and raw and needed him to hold her, not fix things.

When she finally lifted her head and leaned it against the door, her eyes were bloodshot. Tears were streaking her cheeks. Her face was puffy and swollen. She swiped at the tears with the backs of her hands. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He pulled her against his chest and held her tight, rocking her slightly back and forth. He stroked her hair, threading his fingers in the thick, soft locks. He inhaled her scent over and over, memorizing it for a future when he would need to draw on that memory to live through the day.

Finally, she drew in a deep breath, leaned back an inch, and gave him a forced smile. “I’m a hot mess. I don’t cry like this ever.”

He cupped her face. “You’ve been through a lot, and it’s been an intense day that triggered you in a dozen different ways. I’d be worried if you didn’t get emotional.”

“She made me remember, and I don’t want her to give up. I wanted to die that day. I know how she feels.”

“Worse things happened to you than her, baby,” Advic pointed out. He knew Maya had been raped. There was no doubt. She didn’t have to tell them about it. She’d revealed a lot through her nightmares. She’d been raped over and over, he’d guessed. More times than she could probably count.

Ana had escaped that fate because her men had been close enough and came running before things had gone that far. But that didn’t mean Maya didn’t relate to Ana’s suffering. She’d been beaten badly and she’d experienced helplessness and despair. She’d also had the added shock of hovering in the corner while three men were shot to death multiple times around her. That would give anyone nightmares. At least Ana didn’t have to worry about those particular men ever coming for her again. Maya would be haunted by that fear for the rest of her life.

There were differences. Advic recognized them. But the point was Maya saw herself in Ana today, and it brought back memories. She’d also been strong enough to use those memories to help Ana get past this and move on with her life. She was fucking amazing, and Advic was falling in love with her.

Maya swatted playfully at Advic’s chest. “You’re under my skin, and I don’t like it.”

He smiled. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re not. Not even a little bit,” she pointed out, giving him a slight smile through the tears.

“Okay. True. But I am sorry for everything you’ve been through. I’m not sorry it brought you to us though.” He let his voice dip. “And I’m not sorry I’m holding you in my arms absorbing some of your pain, baby.”

She rose onto her toes on her good leg, leaving the other barely skimming the floor, and kissed him.

He kissed her back, his hands going around her waist to lift her off the floor so she wouldn’t have any more weight on her leg. When she didn’t protest and continued kissing him as if her life depended on it, he spun her around and set her fine ass on the edge of the bed.

She moaned into his mouth. Heaven.

He sucked her tongue gently, his hands smoothing down her back.

She shocked him when she wrapped her legs around his waist, especially because he knew she tended to panic every time her thighs were parted. She was wearing leggings of course, but her thighs were definitely parted now. In fact, his erection, encased in nothing more than underwear and the thin material of his scrubs, pressed against her pussy.

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