Page 5 of Saved By Love at Christmas
“Thanks, Grandad.”
After going to the coffee shop, he handed me a bacon sandwich and coffee. The warm liquid soothed me, and the sandwich was just what I needed to fill me up.
“Let’s get you home.” Grandad put an arm around my shoulder and led me towards the exit.
I took a sharp intake of breath when an icy blast of late autumn air hit me full-on. I’d been used to the warmer climate of Spain. This was a shock to the system, as I only had a lightweight jacket on.
Ben came to a halt and took his coat off, offering it to me. “Here, put this on. I’ll hold your food and drink for you.”
“B… but you’ll get cold,” I stuttered as my teeth chattered.
He grinned. “I’ll manage.”
The car wasn’t far away. Ben opened the doors and the boot. Before putting the cases away, he grabbed me and held me close. I cried again, nestling as close as I could to his warm, familiar scent and the fragrance of his woodsy aftershave; the one he always wore. I felt safe for the first time in months.
“Thank you for coming, and bringing Grandad,” I mumbled against him.
“That’s what friends are for.” He smiled a soft smile, his blue eyes bright.
He brushed the hair away from my face, and I winced as his fingers connected with my injury. I guessed the bruise was coming out now. Anger seeped into his eyes, turning them almost grey.
“Don’t. Please, not now, Ben.” I looked to where my grandad was already sitting in the back of the car. “I… Grandad doesn’t need to know about this just yet. I hate to think how much stress I’ve already put him through.”
He sighed. “Okay. Your call. But tell me one thing.”
“I will if I can.”
“Was it honestly the first time he did this to you?” He indicated to my temple.
“Yes, I told you it was. That’s why I left.”
He let out another sigh. “We’ll leave it for now. I’ll trust you to reach out when you’re ready to. But if you need to talk about it, call me.”
I stopped him by putting my hand against his cheek. “I’ll tell you everything. For now, I just want to get home.”
He pressed a soft kiss to my temple, and I almost cried again at his tenderness.
“Let’s get you home.”
“Do you mind if I sit in the back with my grandad?”
“Of course not,” he said and opened the door wider for me.
I leaned my head against Grandad, and his arm wrapped protectively around me, like he’d always done since I was a child. My eyes closed, and I let sleep claim me now I was safe from harm.
* * *
BEN
On the way home from the airport, I was raging. I wanted to fly to Spain and confront that asshole about what he’d done to Ruby. Witnessing her looking so tired and defeated hurt me more than I cared to mention. Seeing the bruise on her head and knowinghehad done that to her… I gripped the steering wheel harder, my knuckles turning white. I wasn’t a violent man, but I’d willingly have punched him for what he’d done.
In my line of work as a vet, I saw my fair share of violence against animals. Human beings could be evil, and it made my blood boil. Knowing how much Ruby must have suffered… well, I couldn’t even express how I felt. I had so many questions for her, but I knew I had to be patient. She was going to need a lot of TLC.
“She’s asleep. Poor thing. She looks wiped out,” Tom said.
I glanced at him through the rear-view mirror. He looked great for the age of seventy and could easily pass for someone in their late fifties. These past few months, though, he seemed to have more worry lines than he had before. We’d met up often, along with my sister, Marie, when she wasn’t swamped with work. All of us were concerned at how distanced Ruby had become. And now I knew why. Jamie had been holding her prisoner.
“She looks so tired. I’m glad she’s sleeping.”
