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Caroline covered her mouth with her hand as she covered Shelby’s knee with her other hand.
“I was so scared, Caroline. I couldn’t do anything about it.” Caroline held her gaze as her sister cried. Caroline pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tight.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have left with you. I would have helped you get through it.” Caroline pulled back and sat sideways in the front of the car.
“They didn’t rape me, Caroline. They weren’t successful. Mickie took off because he got some phone call and once Blade cut me he must have thought he was going to do worse. Some call came in or else Blade would have continued. There’s no doubt in my mind that he would have. He wanted me. Had from the moment he laid eyes on me.”
“And Skip did nothing? I mean, even though he was a jerk to you and hit you, he still didn’t stop these other men from hurting you? I mean what the hell kind of contract or deal did he make and why?”
“I don’t know. I was never so scared, and I heard that Blade was violent with women. I heard that about Jerry, too, but Blade was evil. You could see it in his eyes. He was so pissed off that he couldn’t continue to have his way with my body. When they left, Skip swore me to never say a word about it, and to be ready for them to come again and take me if they wanted me. He said I needed to do it for him. That if I didn’t do it then I would suffer the consequences.”
“So you ran?”
“Yes.”
Caroline pulled her close and hugged her again.
“I won’t let him find you.”
“I won’t put you in danger, Caroline,” she said and Caroline pulled back.
“You’re safest here, and with men like Kenneth, Sam, and Bender. Wait, why were you with Tazer and Parker?”
Shelby pursed her lips and more tears fell. “I asked Max to assign someone else as protectors.”
“But why? You care so much about—” Caroline realized immediately what her sister was doing. She would have done the same if for one minute she thought that Cameron was in Chance. If she had, C.J. never would have been shot.
“Oh, honey, they’re going to fight you tooth and nail on this.”
“I know, but I can’t let them in.”
“Why not? I mean Kenneth is a lawyer, Bender a well-trained detective, and Sam? God, Sam is all military and knows so much. They’re like lethal weapons. I get that now, even about my own men and their capabilities. You can’t keep running and hope that Skip gives up trying to find you.”
“I have no choice. I can’t be what they deserve. They’re good men and they should be with someone perfect and beautiful and not tainted.”
“Tainted? What are you talking about? You were abused and then you were tied up to a bed and forced into a situation you had no control over. You were damn lucky they weren’t successful in raping you or you would be in worse condition or who knows, maybe dead.”
“If and when they learn about what happened, they won’t want anything to do with me.”
“I don’t believe that. Hell, look at me with C.J., Hunter, and York. I was abused, treated like dirt by a man, and I thought no man would ever wa
nt me or could be trusted and then I come here. Because you told me about Chance and because you know how great of a town it is and how wonderful the people are. Happiness could be in the arms of Kenneth, Bender, and Sam.”
“I can’t,” she said and lowered her eyes.
“What are you not telling me? What are you so afraid of in being with them?”
Shelby stared at her sister as her eyes filled up with tears again.
“The scars.” She sniffled and then began to really cry. “I have scars from Blade cutting me.”
Caroline hugged her tight and cried, too. She felt terrible. She was angry, sad, and disgusted with Skip and the men that hurt her sister. She pulled back.
“How badly?” she asked.
Shelby wiped her eyes. “Under both breasts and on my mound.”
Caroline clenched her teeth. “Bastard,” she said and Shelby nodded.
