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Adding to his fury was the pain of Sky not wanting him to take her to the sheriff’s office for more questioning. She hadn’t wanted him there. Hadn’t needed him by her side following another horrific ordeal with Mac Willet.
Hours later, Sam was still in a shitty mood and on his third glass of scotch by the time Sky came through the front door of the cottage.
She set her key ring on the kitchen counter and joined him at the table. She was pale and obviously still shaken. “The arraignment will happen quickly, according to Sheriff Johnson. He suspects Mac will plead no contest once he’s done rattling off the list of charges. There’s too much evidence stacked against Mac for him to even think he can convince a jury he’s innocent, including tonight’s witnesses when he admitted to raping me.”
Sam took another sip in hopes of cooling his temper and settling jangled nerves. No such luck. He stood and paced the kitchen.
“Why didn’t you let me take you to the sheriff’s office?” he demanded in a low tone.
Sky sighed. “You got an earful as it was tonight. Not to mention, I could see on your face and in your eyes what it did to you to find me on the ground, bleeding. Ryan fixed me up, but…” She glanced down at her white shirt, splattered red. Her mascara was streaked too, with black smudged under her clouded blue eyes. “It kills me for you to see me like this. Not only did you have to rescue me this evening, you’re still reeling from what Mac did to me in Nashville.”
Reeling was hardly the word he’d use. More like shredded from the inside out.
But he nodded.
“I see it too clearly in your eyes, Sam,” she said, her tone full of emotion. Pain seemingly the most predominant one. She gave a quick shake of her head as though to dislodge whatever thoughts she had, then said, “I need to clean up. Try to deal with all of this.” She crossed to the counter and worked the keys on the ring. “I’m going to spend the night with my aunt and uncle. I need to tell them everything before Mac’s charges become public record and the local paper runs the whole wretched story.” She groaned. “National headlines will follow.”
“Sky.”
She turned back to him.
“Don’t leave me.”
She sucked in a long breath, let it out slowly. More tears pooled in her eyes, so agonizing to witness, he might as well have glass shards scraping over his skin.
“I need some time, Sam. I need some perspective. I need… I don’t know.” She shrugged. “To not have to face anyone until this blows over.”
“You can’t just go into hiding. But if you don’t want to be around anyone, then just stay here. With me.”
She brushed away a few tears, only to have more roll down her flushed cheeks. “I can’t do that, Sam. I can’t even look you in the eye.”
Without another word, she turned away and walked out.
Sam’s gaze slid to the counter. She’d left the house key and the gate remote. His gut twisted.
Was she doing more than just walking out of his cottage?
* * * * *
After a very rough night with Mike and Ruby, Sky met with Nadine Sadler the next morning.
“I need a place to stay for a while,” she told the real estate agent, her leg bouncing absently because she was still jacked up over the previous night’s events. And the dismal situation with Sam. “A month or so.” Until she figured out her next move. And Reese could decide what to do about replacing her at the inn.
Nadine said, “I thought you were staying out at the Painted Horse.”
“Nothing stays a secret in this town.” Not for long, anyway. Despite the fact her story hadn’t landed in the morning’s paper, she knew it was just a matter of time.
“Well, we don’t have a lot of rental properties, as a rule,” Nadine told her. “Not much call for it. There’s the B&B that Lottie Daniels took over from Reese. And there’s the Wilder Inn, also here in town.”
“I was thinking of something out by the lake. Something private.”
Nadine gave this some thought, then said, “You’re close friends with Jack Wade. He’s got a furnished cottage on his property. He rented it out briefly, when Liza came to town. It’s vacant now that they’re married.”
“That’d be perfect,” she said. “Must be he converted the old boat house.”
“Yes.”
She perked up a little. “I’ll stop by and see him. Thanks, Nadine.”
