AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She’s a counselor. She had meetings at her house for abused women. I was there for a month working on the place. Sometimes, I’d overhear the meetings.”
“That must’ve been hard what with happened to you when you were younger.”
“Yeah, I don’t talk about what happened. But Jane is good. She got me talking about what my brothers and I had been through.”
“That’s good. You probably needed to talk to someone.”
“Yeah, I guess I kinda did.” He nods, sitting forward and resting his hands on the table. “One day, she called and told me she gave my name to a woman looking for a bathroom remodel. The woman’s name was Julia. I took the job. A week into it, I realized Julia’s husband was abusing her. Lucky for him, he was never around when I was there. Especially on the day I showed up for the job and Julia was so bruised, she could hardly walk.” His hand clenches on the table.
“He hurt her bad. I called Jane, and she told me she’d been trying to get Julia to leave her husband, but Julia was just too frightened of him. Jane could get Julia away and get her somewhere safe, but Julia needed to agree to leave. I tried to talk Julia into leaving him, but Jane was right. The poor woman was terrified of her husband. After the job was done, I told Julia to call me anytime, day or night, and I’d come to get her whether her husband was there or not. I promised her she’d be safe. Two weeks later, Julia called. He’d beat her so bad.” He shakes his head.
“She was afraid she might die. She was too scared to call the police, afraid to call an ambulance. He’d gone out, and she wasn’t sure when he’d be back. I got my brothers, and we went to get her. The asshole showed up, and we nearly killed him. It was like we delivered all the aggression we felt for our father to her abuser that day. But we got her out of there. We met up with Jane, and she got her somewhere safe. A few weeks later, Jane called, and she told me she had given my number to another woman, and that was how it all started. At first, we’d do jobs for them, encourage the abused woman to get out, but now, Jane gives our number to women who refuse to call the police or are too scared to get their families involved. We pick them up and drop them off with Jane. The first one, we did together, but it was dangerous because of our history. Our anger was too much. So we decided to do the escorts alone and take turns. That way, we didn’t kill anyone.” He chuckles as if reminiscing on the memories.
Like he had to find something amusing out of the tremendous situations. As if that’s how he deals with it.
“You’re not worried one of you will get hurt if you’re alone?”
“No. Cole has a blackbelt in martial arts, Lix, he frequents the gym, boxes, and he’s into MMA fighting, and me, I wrestled all through high school. Over the years, we’ve trained together, teaching each other what we know. We’ve taken defensive courses, and we carry, ya know, to protect ourselves and the woman.”
“Aren’t you afraid you’ll get caught?”
“It’s not illegal to go to someone’s house when you’ve been invited, and if things do get rough, what is the abuser going to say to the cops?” He shrugs as if it’s just another day at the office. “They usually don’t get the police involved because they know what they are doing is against the law. No person has the right to hurt another person. I know that, but I also know a woman can be put in jail for defending herself, and that’s why I do it. I don’t want any woman to feel powerless like my mom did for so many years.”
I sit with my mouth open. It’s difficult to imagine everything he’s telling me. His childhood must’ve been hard. At such a young age, he lived in hell. How can someone so scarred, so damaged, come out so good? His darkness shows on the outside. His light shines on the inside. How can I not fall for this man? How am I supposed to walk away from him? When all I want is to hold him until I feel the warmth from his light within.
“Well”—he slaps the table—“I think it’s time I get going.” He stands.
Speechless, I gaze up at him. I don’t want him to leave, but I imagine what he confessed to me took a lot from him. Not to mention, I’m still trying to process it.
“Thanks for tonight.” His eyes glow down on me.
I stare up at him, unable to find the right response.
I didn’t ask, but he provided me with the answers to my burning questions. I understand him a little better now. But that understanding is breaking my heart.
“You know, Cassie.” He lightly touches my cheek. “I wouldn’t have known you needed me. I wouldn’t have come that night if you hadn’t found the strength to ask for help.”
He leans in. Our faces align, and my heart cracks wide open.
“It wasn’t me who saved you.” His thumb rolls down my cheek. “You saved yourself when you made that call.”
He kisses me on the forehead and walks out the door, leaving me sitting in the chair with tears streaming down my cheeks.
Chapter Eighteen
Eyes glistening with want and mouth ripe for tasting, it was hard to leave her in the kitchen.
Fuck. Why did I tell her all that shit?
It felt good while I was doing it.
But when I left her, I turned all her passion into empathy.
I don’t know if I can ever look at her again without seeing that heartbroken expression on her beautiful face.
Unable to sleep, I head out to the kitchen for something to drink. I’m not sure what, but liquor sounds good.
My cell dings on the counter. I grab it and look at the text from Cole.I think you have company.
