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I was right back to being that scared little girl, waiting for Brock to hurt me. Wondering when it would happen again. When he’d choose to barge in and wreck my world. Panic climbed. He was out there, laughing and taking joy in my fear. In the power he had over me. While I waited to be heard and plead my case.
“No,” I whispered to myself. The hands on my knees turned to fists. “No,” I said louder. I wouldn’t let him do this again. Every moment I gave in to the fear, was a moment in his favor. My chest stuttered on a gasp. No matter how hard I fought it, the panic wouldn’t die down.
I was afraid.
And I hated myself so much for that.
No…my mind whispered. Don’t give up…
The heaviness of the terror was overwhelming. Kicking against the current and reaching for the surface was no match for the undertow that kept beating me back down.
So, kick harder.
I heard the loud booming steps of heavy boots coming my way. I looked up, and there was Cal.
Tall and strong and plagued with worry on his handsome face. I pulled myself together the best I could and rose to greet him. His steps increased, eating up the distance between us in the florescent lit hall of the radiology wing. Those big arms opened, and instinct took over…
I ran to him.
Just for a moment, I wanted to take a break from all that treading and just sprint away from the burden clawing at my ankles.
“Aw, Kitten,” he whispered, and swept me up in his massive embrace. Warmth instantly took over. The spicy smell that was all him triggered a calmness I couldn’t harness on my own. I got lost and buried my face in his chest as he hugged me tighter, like nothing in the world could touch me.
Too soon, he pulled away and cupped my face.
“Are you okay?” he asked with a catch in his voice.
I nodded and a small relieved smile tugged at his lips. Lips that came crashing down on mine. Surprise took over, but my body registered him as a necessity. I kissed him back, hard and heavy, and with all the fear and exhaustion and hurt I felt. His stubble with thicker than normal. It felt like at least five days’ worth and it scraped against my chin. I loved it. I remembered how it felt all those times he’d kissed me before.
His tongue parted my lips and I let him in. Needing to taste him. Needing to let him take an ounce of this ache from me. I clung to him and moved my mouth with his. Tangling his lips with mine, I tried to get closer. To take a deep drink of everything he was offering. The sound of his strong lips hitting mine over and over made my breaths deepen. More. Just a little more.
His groan vibrated down my neck and all the way to my toes.
Home.
He felt like home.
I remembered this well.
Remembered…
I opened my eyes and stepped away quickly, my hand coming to cover my mouth like it had betrayed me. Cal just looked at me. His blue eyes shining in a way I hadn’t seen them shine in a while. Those gems dazzled with a clear sign of satisfaction.
I wanted to tell him that I was confused. I’d surrendered to another moment of weakness. Fell into a pattern I hadn’t mastered breaking, but none of that came out. Because dark eyes caught my attention.
Jack.
He was standing right behind Cal and honing in on me with a look of heat and fury and lust? I didn’t know. But a look like that melted my insides while my skin pricked with cold.
“What happened?” Jack demanded. His thick black hair was combed perfectly and all his sharp, starkly beautiful features were on full display, thanks to a recent shave. His dark blue suit was creased to perfection with clean lines and fit his broad shoulders perfectly. He smelled like sex and money and power.
I shook my head, forcing reality back to my brain, and taking an extra step back from the two hulking men in hopes of clearing my mind further. It didn’t help.
“We were rear-ended. Twice. The person took off.” It must have been Brock but I had no proof, so I went on. “Bea is in getting an X-ray on her wrist right now. The doctor thinks it’s a fracture, but not a break.”
“Is she hurt anywhere else? Are you hurt?” Jack asked quickly.
“No.”
