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“I can’t,” she whines. That kills me. She thinks that she can’t tell me anything? I would slay dragons for this woman. There is nothing that she can’t tell me.
I move closer to her and then my hand touches her shoulder gently. The fire that zips down my finger and straight to my heart stuns me. I have never touched her except when I hired her. I shook her hand and I thought I imagined that zap. That it was static electricity.
But it happened again. And I have a feeling it will always happen when I touch her, when she touches me.
Her head jerks and I know she felt it when her eyes finally lift to mine. Dark and frightened. I draw in a shattered breath.
“Are you afraid of me, Daisy?” That guts me. If she’s afraid of me, I will not be able to live with myself.
She shakes her head and looks away but I saw the fear in her eyes. There was no hiding it.
“Tell me the truth.” I draw back, giving her breathing room. I can hear her little puffs of breath, quick and sharp.
“I’m not scared of you,” she says. It’s a small win but I’ll take it. But that just proves that she is afraid of something else. My fists clench and my body tightens with rage.
Something scared her. I always felt a little bit of hesitancy in her. But now I can see that it’s fear.
“Tell me what has you scared then. Please,” I beg, uncaring that I’m pleading with a woman to tell me something. I just want her to let me in. I don’t care if I have to fucking beg on my knees.
“My-my ex. He broke into my place last night. I couldn’t stay there.” She doesn’t say it. She doesn’t have to. She’s terrified of this guy and I won’t have it.
Rage burns through me and I stiffen, my jaw clenching when I see the tight line of her body, the way she holds herself like she’s expecting pain.
He hurt her. And if I can find him…I will end him if it’s the last thing I do on this earth. I will kill him with my bare hands. And I will smile while I’m doing it.
ChapterThree
DAISY
“This isn’t necessary, Mr. McKnight. I can find someplace to stay.”
“We have this townhouse for out of town guests. It’s not a big deal. It’s just sitting here empty. Might as well get some use out of it.”
I nod my head but my eyes are nervously checking the furniture like I expect Hank to jump out from behind it and grab me.
“Hey, there’s nobody here. Just you and me. You’re safe here.” His hand touches mine and it feels like sparks sizzle under my skin where his hand touches my finger.
I jump back and clear my throat. “I-I know. I know that nobody knows I’m here. I thought I saw something move.”
He eyes me uncertainly and then he looks over to the corner where I was staring. He walks over and bends down to look behind the small chair over in the corner.
My cheeks heat and I swear I want to sink through the floor. There’s nothing there. I know it. He knows it. Why the hell can’t I calm down?
My pulse races out of control when he stands up and walks toward me, slow and steady like he’s afraid he’ll startle me.
“I’m not an idiot, Mr. McKnight! I’m well aware that nobody could fit behind that chair!” I snap.
“Hey,” his deep voice is so soft that it makes tears pop into my eyes. “You don’t have to explain anything to me. If you’re scared to be alone, I’ll be happy to stay here with you. And there’s no reason to be embarrassed about it. You’ve been through a horrible ordeal.”
I shake my head.You have no idea.My heart sinks. He could never understand why I stayed with Hank. Why I let him treat me the way he did.
He’s a man. He’s strong. I’m not.
His big hand closes around my chin and lifts it gently. “Do not think what I know you’re thinking, Daisy. None of what happened is your fault. It’s all on him.”
I nod my head like I believe him but we both know that I don’t. I can’t stop blaming myself. It’s how I managed to convince myself that it was all in my head. I was the one at fault.
In other words, he couldn’t help himself.
