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I nod. “It wasn’t until Maverick took me up to his patio that I was able to calm down. He saved me, Captain Leopold. Without him, I don’t know where I’d be right now or if I’d even still be alive.”

Captain Leopold looks from me to Maverick. “Anything to add?”

Maverick shakes his head.

“Okay.” He takes a deep breath. “Miss Eaton, I am so sorry for what you went through. I have no words that will bring you comfort, but I can promise you that I will handle this personally. I will be contacting the Kingswater PD and finding out exactly what happened to the additional reports you called in. They only have the one that was filed.”

I stare at him. “Are you serious?”

He nods. “I will make sure that doesn’t happen again. In order to have a complete report, though, I do need to ask that you come down to the hospital and be examined. We need pictures, and I need a treatment report.”

Panic kicks my pulse into overdrive. Pictures? Exams? People touching me? Poking and prodding? Can I handle that?

“Mav and I will go with you,” Anastasia says. “You will never be alone.”

I look over at Maverick, who nods.

So, even though I’d really rather not relive this over and over again, I find strength in knowing that God brought two people into my life who will stand beside me through it.

“Okay.”

“Great. I can give you a ride,” Captain Leopold offers.

“I’ll drive her,” Maverick says.

“I’ll take you up on that ride, though,” Anastasia says as she loops an arm through Captain Leopold’s. “We’ll see you there, okay?”

“Okay.” Together, the two of them leave the bar.

Am I really doing this?

What if he finds me there?

What if, somehow, this leads him to me?

“He’s not going to get to you.”

I jolt, surprised that Maverick is standing beside me now, having come out from behind the bar while I was watching Anastasia and Captain Leopold leave.

“Am I doing the right thing?”

“Giving them everything they need to catch this guy? Yeah, you’re doing the right thing.” Maverick crosses over and locks the door, then heads back toward me. I watch the way he moves, noting the strength in every step.

Is this why I feel so safe with him?

Because of his strength?

But even as I think it, I also know it’s far more than that.

Maverick is the kind of man I would have loved to have met before my world collapsed around me. Before I was taken captive and treated like a possession. Now, I’m not sure if I will ever be able to trust someone enough to let them touch me.

I’d wanted marriage.

Kids.

What if that’s no longer a possibility?

MAVERICK