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I got out of the chair in the corner of the room and pulled it closer to her bedside, opposite the bassinet, and sat down. What I had wanted to do was run out of the room and find two men who hadn’t ever deserved this incredible woman in their lives. And then what I wanted to do to them, I needed to make sure I kept to myself. I reached out my hand, palm up, and looked down at it and then back up at Teal. I was letting her decide. When she placed her hand in mine it felt like a dream.
The whole day seemed that way.
“Thad was a lot worse. There was no hiding or escaping him. His abuse was ten times harsher than my father’s and I knew he might harm the baby so I fled after one of his beatings. When I said the other night he had done worse, I meant it.” She gulped, loudly. “He—”
I cut her off not knowing if I could handle what I thought she might say. “You don’t have to say it, Teal.” When I felt her release my hand and pull away, I wanted to snatch my words right back. God, it was another idiot move on my part. She was sharing and I made her feel ashamed.
Reaching out, I grabbed her hand back in mine. “Please look at me, honey.” I had to explain I was just trying to protect her. Never did I want to make her feel bad about anything.
Her eyes came back to mine. “You can tell me anything. I was just trying to protect you so you didn’t have to relive it.”
“Ineedto tell you,” she said to me.
“Okay.” I braced myself.
“Thad raped me. I know he is my husband but I hated him and I told him no. He beat me and raped me, no matter how many times I saidn-no,” she said her voice breaking on a sob.
When she started I had a bad feeling that was what had been coming but hearing her say it out loud I was still not prepared. My heart broke, my body raged, and my mind spun in circles on how I could take away all her pain and heartache.
She seemed to work hard to pull herself together so she could go on.
She is so damn strong.
“Kace, there is more I want to say.”
More? I wondered how there could possibly be more. But what she said next just made me more in awe of her.
Then Teal’s eyes left mine and went to Denver. “Even though bad things happen, sometimes the most wonderful things still come from that darkness. No matter what, I love this baby with all my heart and I am going to be the best mom I can be. I just wanted you to know that.”
I was one lucky bastard when Teal walked into my life.
“Baby, I am so sorry you went through that. I am beyond proud of you for getting out both times and I will do everything in my power to protect you and help you move forward without having to worry. Denver couldn’t ask for a better mother.”
Tears sparkled in her eyes.
“I haven’t had the best luck around men.”
She paused and then took a deep breath before she said two words that could have brought me to my knees if I hadn’t been sitting down.
“Untilyou.”
Then, she carried on as if she hadn’t just said one of the most amazing things. “You know even though I used my maiden name for Denver, he is going to be searching birth records and he is going to find us. It is only a matter of time, Kace.”
My blood pressure spiked as I fought through the rage burning inside me.
“The others and I will be there to protect you. I told you before, we will help you free yourself of Thad and have the life you want.”
“Will it include you?” she asked shyly.
My heart was beating fast. “As long as you will have me in it.”
Just then, Denver let out a loud wail grabbing both our attention.
“As long asbothof you will have me,” I amended.
Smiling brighter than the sun, she got up to grab the baby and then moved over to the rocking chair in the room.
The two of them made the perfect picture.
