Page 46 of Love At Peace

“Me?” She furrowed her brow and sat up. “You need to worry about Nevaeh.”

No.

I would never stop worrying about this troubled woman right here in front of me. And I didn’t plan to stop.

Chapter 17

Heather

“You,” he emphasized. “I am worried about you, Heather. I have been from the moment I suspected that you’d been abused.”

I shook my head slightly, confused how he’d take what I said that way. I’d just laid out what David was capable of, of what he was doing to Nevaeh. The control and manipulation had already started with his niece. I knew my ex was getting his way with her if she could be such a staunch believer in him and defend him when people wanted to suggest he was a bad influence.

But Roarke wanted to worry about me instead. “Nevaeh needs to know—”

“No.” He squeezed my hand, tugging my fingers so I would fully hold his. “Nevaeh won’t listen to anything I say. Even before she met him, she didn’t. She has never listened to anything I say, and I know now that this isn’t my fault. I can’t change the facts that she will always ignore my guidance. I can’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do, and if that includes her wanting to be with him despite me telling her not to fall for David’s lies, then that’s her choice. She chose to go with him. Maybe he conned her. Maybe he pulled another trick and set her up, but she is not going to listen to me. I won’t give up on her, but I refuse to keep doing this with her.”

I swallowed hard, hating the truth of what he said. He was right. Nevaeh was too headstrong to listen to Roarke. To anyone.

Except David.

I couldn’t understand the dynamics of that. For such an independent and strong-willed person who didn’t want to listen to anyone, David must have had a hell of an approach and angle to use with her to “win” her over in the first place. He would. He was a determined, sneaky man.

“I am worried about you,” Roarke repeated. He licked his lips, glancing down and seeming to search for the right words to use next. “I understand a lot more now. Why when I wanted to help you...”

I nodded. “Accepting help was how David got me under his thumb in the first place. He offered to help with that so-called homeless guy threatening me. And he used that as an expectation to hold over me and ensure I’d feel obligated and beholden to him. That was how it all started.”

“I see that now.” He frowned though, scooting forward on his seat to stare at me so intensely. “I realized you were independent from the get-go, but now it makes sense why you would seem so afraid of anyone helping you.” He paused, going still and lowering his gaze for a second. “Fuck. Fuck. When I said you could pay me back. That one day when you...” Running his free hand through his hair, he groaned lightly. “Shit. That’s why you reacted so weird. How I said that about keeping tabs. Or paying back.”

I bit my lip and nodded. “I have a lot of healing to do. A lot of trauma to get over and move past. It’s a lot. When I came home, I wanted to—”

“Lie low and keep to yourself,” he finished for me.

“Yes, so I could start healing from the abuse and trauma. I didn’t intend to even think about a relationship with anyone. I wasn’t ready, and hearing you say that when I was starting to fall for you, it threw me off.” I swallowed hard. “But I’ve been telling myself that you aren’t David. You’re not the same man he is.”

“I will never—” He exhaled a long breath. “No. I’m not David. And I will never abuse you. I would hate myself if I ever hurt you. At all. It broke my heart to hear you crying after we argued.”

Sliding forward on my seat, I wanted to believe him. Hearing his heartfelt words moved me. This longing burning within me was about to sear me if I didn’t act on this draw to him.

“But David’s not here for me anymore...” I frowned, staring at Roarke’s big hand engulfing mine. David used to hold my hand to keep me at his side. With him, it was a control tactic. Seeing my hand in Roarke’s grip was a secure and comforting sight. He would hold me, protect me, and do his best to keep me safe.

I was a fool to ever forget that.

“I don’t care what David’s planning. I’ll be damned if he tries to get you against your will again. Not because I want to be your hero so you’ll be forced to stick with me, but because I care, Heather. I care about you.”

“But you need to worry about Nevaeh now. He’s got her under his thumb.”

I think?

There was no denying that David was up to something with her. But...why did he approach me at Nance’s? If he was moving on to someone else, why continue to harass me?

“I care about you,” he repeated, so earnest and sincere.

I was touched that he’d put me over his niece. That he’d choose to stand up for me and be my support before he would for his family. Nevaeh sure hadn’t made anything easy for him. She was combative, rude, and selfish. He wasn’t inclined to put all his effort toward helping Nevaeh, but me.

“And I care about you because I want to see you happy and comfortable.” He licked his lips, slanting closer. His body heat reached me, and I was tempted to lean toward him for a deeper whiff of his cologne. To snuggle against him and sigh with that bone-deep sense of security. After those days of pushing him away, I was drugged with this demanding need to feel him close.

“I want you,” he said, lowering his head and letting me see the desire in his eyes from his hooded lids. “I want you in my life, Heather. I want your drama.” He exhaled through his nose as he stared at my lips. “I want...your love.”