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He slightly nibbled his bottom lip as he stared at her mouth. She could almost imagine him kissing her and how gentle or full his exploration might be. Those beautiful, yet fierce dark eyes, a family trait, held her gaze. His thumb brushed along her chin.
“You’re a very beautiful woman, and I would like to get to know you better. What do you think?”
She swallowed hard. She felt caught between wanting to take a chance, hoping for happiness or at least pleasantness for a while, but then came the uncertainty, the fear, and the pain she never wanted to have again.
“I–I don’t date.” She turned her face and his fingers released her chin. He crossed his arms again and stared at her.
“I should get going.”
“I don’t date either. You’re the first woman I’ve asked out since college,” he admitted and she locked gazes with him.
He moved to the side of her and leaned against her car beside her. She glanced at him and the way he relaxed as if he was giving her time to think about his statement.
She felt bad. He was nice, he was good-looking, but so were his brothers, and men around this town shared women. She couldn’t even see herself in a relationship with one man right now, never mind more. And that was if his brothers were even interested in her. Oh lordy, what the hell am I thinking? Ménage relationships? Dating again? They’re big men. What if they got angry and hit me? She felt her belly drop with fear.
“Don’t overthink this. I have an idea. Why not come back tonight and then again some more times and we’ll get to be friends first? Maybe then you’ll see that I’ve got no bad intentions. I swear to you. Believe me, my mom would have my ass on a platter,” he stated jokingly and stood up straight again. She did the same and looked up at him as he waited.
“I’ll see, Garrett. I’m really busy with work and other stuff. I do like Casper’s. It’s very nice and your dads are great, too.” He smiled.
“They like you as well. Come back tonight. I’d love to see you here,” he said and she shook her head at his persistence and his charming personality. Opening her car door, she looked back at him.
“I’ll see. No promises though. I have a lot to do today,” she said and he raised his hands up as if saying no problem.
“Bye, Garrett.”
“Bye, Gia. See ya later.” He winked then stepped back as she got into her car.
Those crazy high-schoolgirl butterflies began to flutter up a storm. She was toast. With a man as good-looking as Garrett, any woman would be. But she had been hurt so badly before, even the most charming, handsome, and legitimately perfect man couldn’t be trusted.
Remember the pain, Gia. Never forget the pain.
Chapter 5
The weekend passed and Gia was working out in the dojo Wednesday night after work.
“Come on, Gia, one more round and then we’ll call it a night,” Lee, her sensei, said. A few other guys, all law enforcement officers, were there as well as Helena. She was a homicide detective in Houston PD.
“Show him what you got, honey. You’re doing awesome,” Helena said and Lee began. They were working on counterattack moves. Things to do when someone attacked from behind. As Lee moved in behind her, she sprung to the right and counter jabbed him. He moved out of the way and had her start again.
“This time, act as if you do not know I am there. Let me attack and then I want to see you get out of the hold.”
“Okay.” She got back into position. She felt the anxiety of this move. It was one she had so much difficulty with because of Antonio and how he had attacked her that night. It was unexpected and meant to cause her great fear. He was successful.
Lee took his time, and just as the anxiety heightened in wonder of when she would feel his touch, he struck.
As she felt Lee’s arms wrap around her and then his leg come in front of her legs, she began to struggle. Flashes of Antonio’s assault filtered through her mind as they often did whenever Sensei Lee wanted to make her practice this move. It was her weakness. He knew this. Helena an
d the others knew it, too.
“Come on, Gia. You can do it. Focus on the moves,” Helena called out.
“Forget about that asshole and do it,” Shane said next. He worked with Teddy and Jim.
She was trying her hardest, but the flashbacks of the attack were strong tonight. The feeling of being trapped between Valdere and Antonio that night overpowered her ability to think and defend herself. She hadn’t been sleeping too well either.
Lee got her on the ground and she knew she was done. She cried out, but she couldn’t fight him off.
Lee was straddling her waist as he held her arms above her head and stared into her face. With her body exposed like this, her T-shirt lifted up, exposing her belly. She felt the fear of being weak.
