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Once securely in her car with the doors locked, Chloe allowed herself a moment to relax. Eyes closed, head resting back, she breathed in the fresh mountain air. With her tension finally at a manageable level, she started up her Volvo and navigated her way out of the parking lot. Sticking around to see just how angry what’s-his-name was wouldn’t be the smartest of ideas.
Halfway home, her car connected Bluetooth rang, jarring her so bad her heart nearly flew out of her mouth.
“Shit,” she muttered as she used the steering wheel buttons to lower the ringer’s volume then accept the call. “Hello?”
“Seriously, sis? It’s ten on a Saturday night. Why the hell are you answering your phone?”
“Scotty!” Man, it was good to hear her brother’s voice. “Are you in the country? Please tell me you’re home?” Nine years older than she was, Scotty had enlisted in the army the moment he turned eighteen. Now, with nearly two decades years under his belt, he was a Ranger and deployed more often than not.
His laugh, healthy and strong filtered through the car’s speakers. “Yeah, sis, I’m home. Arrived in country yesterday.”
She couldn’t hide the sigh of relief. Another deployment survived.
“How long you here for this time? Any idea?” As she spoke, she steered the car onto the highway that would take her back to Pigeon Forge. Or at least in that direction; she lived right outside the vacation town that was the home of the flashy Dollywood tourist attraction.
“Actually—”
Static had her smacking the dashboard as though the jolt would somehow end the crackling. Always happened on this stretch of the highway.
“Sorry, Scotty, dead spot. What did you say?”
“I said I’m taking some time off and coming to visit you.”
Her heart simultaneously seized and soared. Visiting meant he’d be staying with her, and an end to her nocturnal activities. Scotty would flip his shit if he found out what she’d been up to these past few months.
Nerves skittered down her spine. Since she’d made the decision two months ago, she hadn’t missed a Friday or Saturday. Would she be able to hold it together without those nights?
“Nothing? Thought you’d be at least a little excited.”
Chloe blinked and laughed. “Oh, God, sorry. My mind ran away for a second. Yes! Come here, please. I’m super excited. What’s it been, almost a year and a half since I’ve seen you?”
“Something like that.”
She flicked her turn signal on and coasted over to the exit ramp. This time of night on a Saturday she was pretty much the only one on the pitch-black road. A shiver overtook her. Three more minutes and she’d be safely in her home.
“So, when are you coming? Gotta make sure I have enough food to feed your huge ass.” And huge he was. Most of her family was tall, but at six-six, Scott was the largest by far.
“Got some shit I gotta take care of here before I can bug out. I’m thinking three weeks from tomorrow. That work for you?”
“Yes, of course. Anything works for me.” She smiled into the night as she pulled into her driveway. “God, I can’t wait to see you.”
He didn’t respond for a moment which had her frowning as she put the car in park. “Scott? Did I lose you?”
“Nah I’m here.” His voice had grown serious. “How you doing, honey? I’m sorry I’ve been off the grid so much over the past few months. Nearly killed me to be out of the country when you were hurt.”
A now familiar sorrow swamped over her. It wasn’t a surprise. The attack was always there, looming on the sidelines, just waiting to jump in and ruin a good moment. A healthy dose of guilt joined that sorrow. Her family didn’t know the full story of what she’d suffered. They knew the same version she’d told the cops. A partial truth.
“Ahh, so that’s why you’re visiting. Not because you can’t stay away from your favorite sister and my brownie recipe, but because you’re checking up on me. Mom making you do this?”
She’d kicked her mom out after five days, unable to take the incessant mothering—smothering—any longer.
“Clo…” He sounded pained. As though thinking about what happened to her physically hurt him.
She almost snorted, but thankfully found enough control to keep the rude sound at bay. Didn’t anyone get it? Didn’t they realize she couldn’t handle their hurt on top of her own? It was just too much. Too heart wrenching. She hadn’t asked for what happened to her, and the fact that it caused almost as much agony for her family as it did for her was more than she could take.
“I’m okay, Scott. Dealing with it.” In a way that could get me killed. “Getting better every day.” Because she’d found tying men to a bed and fucking the shit out of them was the only thing that gave her a sense of command over her life. It was the only time she felt powerful, strong, in control. The moments she was dominating some random man were the only ones that banished the fear she’d lived with every second since she was stuffed in a trunk and kidnapped.
