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She bit her lip and looked away. “I’m ashamed to admit it, but I have thisfear—a fear I’ve lived with for so long—an irrational fear maybe, but a fear nonetheless—”
“What fear, Raina? I really want to know.” He wanted to knowher. And everything about her.
“A fear that if I let anyone help me, do anythingforme, something bad will happen to that person.”
The words were so low he had to lean forward to catch them. “What happened to someone who tried to help you?”
“Not just someone, multiple someones. But one was ... she died. Was murdered actually.”
“Oh my— What? How?”
“I was coming home from a stint in the hospital, and our housekeeper, Mrs. Atwater, went to the house because she wanted to make my favorite cake. When I got home, I found her. Dead on the kitchen floor.”
He stared at her for a flicker of a second, letting the words penetrate. “Oh no,” he finally whispered. “Oh, Raina ... that’s ... I have no words.”
He wasn’t sure what it was in his response that finally broke through and convinced her, but she pushed the box aside and linked her fingers. Before she opened her mouth, he could tell she’d decided to talk to him. “I don’t need any words. I just ... I was involved with the guy I told you about,” she said.
“Kevin.”
“Right. In the beginning, he was amazing. Kind, attentive, catered to my every whim. I’m ashamed to say that it only took him a month to talk me into giving up on the idea of college and moving in with him.”
Vincent stayed still, unsure what to say or where she was going with the story. He just knew he didn’t want to do anything that would close her back up.
“In a nutshell, shortly after that, I was under his control—and I mean that literally. Mentally, emotionally, and finally, physically. To the point that I landed in the hospital the day I told him I was moving back home with my parents, that being with him wasn’t healthy for me.”
Every muscle in his body clenched.
“He beat me to the point that I almost died. I had a number of broken bones, a ruptured spleen. Things like that.”
“Things likethat? That’s horrible.” Horrible didn’t begin todescribe it. He had to make the effort to keep his hands from curling into fists and push aside the desire to give the coward a taste of his own medicine.
“At some point after I’d passed out, he left, probably thinking I was dead. But I woke up and somehow got to my phone and called 911. That part’s kind of fuzzy and got fuzzier after the next week or so. Anyway, two months later, after healing and a stint in rehab for physical and occupational therapy, I was cleared to go home.”
“And Kevin never made contact in all that time you were in the hospital and rehab?”
“When I was close to getting released. Not with me, but with others. And no one could seem to find him.” She rubbed her eyes. “Right now I’m more worried about the future than the past. Michael looks enough like him to the point that he could be that man’s son. And I’ve been thinking...”
“About?”
“What if we can catch him? Catch Kevin?” And she could finally put the past to rest and never worry that it was two steps behind her.
He studied her. “Let me guess. You want someone to keep an eye on the Harrison family and see if he shows up?”
“It was a thought.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “They’re not going to agree to stay hidden forever, and as soon as they pop out of hiding, he’s going to show up. I can almost guarantee it.”
He pursed his lips, then sighed. “I don’t know, Raina, it sounds—”
“Farfetched? Crazy? I’m aware.” She jabbed the air with her finger while fire flashed in her eyes. “I’ve built a good life, Vince, but I’m trapped. I can’t go home without the fear that even after all these years, he’s still got someone watching my parents’ home. That if I show up or call or whatever, he’ll know.” She drew in a shaky breath. “I’ve thought about himover and over, trying to figure out what I know that couldn’t be a lie.”
“What did you come up with?”
“He’s got a lot of money, he’s charming and fun when he wants to be and can make you thinkyou’rethe crazy one. He’s a control freak. He loves power. He hates to lose. He’s most likely a sociopath. A narcissist. And, whether I want to admit it or not, he’salwaysthere in the back of my mind.” Her fingers twisted together and she leaned forward. “I’m tired of always having to look over my shoulder. I’ve stayed hidden for a long time for a lot of reasons, but I think it’s time to be proactive and get my life back.” She looked at him. “I just have to figure out how to make that happen.” Without putting anyone else in danger.
“You can’t do this alone.”
She swallowed. “I have to.”
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “How do you plan to do that?”
