Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44774 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“Not personally, Jolene. But I heard’a ya. Heard how smart you are. How you didn’t belong in that little town with all your kin. Also heard how your old man was a fuckin’ bastard to you and your mom made your life hell. You didn’t deserve none’a that then. And you don’t now.” I squeezed her shoulders, leaning in to kiss her temple. She didn’t flinch away, nor did her gaze waver from mine. Her eyes were wide and, for the first time, I thought she might actually be with me completely in the here and now. “You want me to leave while you bathe? Said I’d wait out in the bedroom. You can leave the door open, so you’ll know where I am.”
She shook her head. “Don’t leave.”
I nodded. “Fine. Ain’t goin’ anywhere. I’m right here.”
Carefully, she removed her clothes, keeping her back to me, though she didn’t move away from the vanity mirror. I tried to keep my thoughts clinical, taking in every bruise and cut and scrape for the second time. While Mama had examined her, I’d memorized them all. I did again now, vowing I’d kill the pissant who did this to her.
As she stepped into the shower, she glanced over her shoulder at me. “You won’t leave? You promise?”
“Not if you want me here, Jolene. I’m your protector as long as you’ll have me.” I meant it, too. It was more than I’d ever offered a woman. Not because I didn’t believe in protecting women, but because it was too much like a commitment. Especially with Jolene. I wasn’t big on commitment, but she was wrapping me up in some kind of spell, and I knew the offer was not only genuine, but as much a promise as it was a threat. I also knew that my promise earlier to make her mine was the same. I wasn’t sure I could stop being her protector even if she wanted me to. And I damned sure was making her mine as soon as she was ready. Hell, as far as I was concerned, she already was mine. I didn’t need sex with her to stake my claim.
“I don’t want you to leave,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I feel safe when you’re with me.”
I shook my head, holding my arms out to her. “I’m right here. Ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
She nodded, then stepped into the shower. I leaned back against the vanity, crossing my arms over my chest, and tried not to see the woman in the shower. I needed to see the bruised and battered girl who’d been gang-raped and beaten, not the desirable woman she was. What I did was concentrate on every single bruise marring her fair skin and promised myself that the men who’d done this to her would experience every single injury she had. Including the rape. Especially the rape. She’d said Hatfields hurt her. I had an idea who it might have been because they’d done it before. No matter what, there were several people gonna die. But if it was who I thought it was -- if it was Avery Hatfield and his brother and fuckin’ cousins -- they were gonna die hard. Very hard.
I watched as she slowly cleaned herself with my shower gel, then washed her hair. Every now and then she smothered a groan. Then she’d stop moving for a few seconds before continuing at a slower pace. The third time she did this, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“You’re hurtin’.”
“Sore.”
This was awkward. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
She was silent for a long moment. I knew she wanted me to do something but was hesitant to ask. I could guess it had something to do with me getting in there with her, but she was probably too terrified for a strange male to be in such an intimate position with her.
“You look familiar to me,” she finally answered, her voice barely above a whisper. “You look like a guy I used to know when I was a little girl, though I thought you’d look older. So maybe I’m wrong?”
“You’re not wrong, Jolene. It’s what Mama was tellin’ me I had to make you understand. Just didn’t want you not to trust me ’cause’a my name.”
“Ruben Hatfield,” she whispered, her body shivering under the hot spray. “You gonna hurt me, too?” She sounded resigned. Fucking resigned!
I stomped the three steps to the shower and shoved open the door. She whimpered and ducked into herself, her arms drawn tightly into her chest, her one good blue eye wide in fear. I took a calming breath before stepping in the shower with her. I was fully dressed while she was naked. It was the worst idea I’d ever had, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. She needed comfort. I needed to give it.