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He tried to take a step to get her out of the limelight, but they were surrounded by people thrusting cameras in their faces and lobbing questions at them. The cops were trying to push them back to clear a path, but nobody was cooperating.
With one hand, he shielded her face from view. She twisted against his neck.
The cops made enough of a path that he was able to take a step toward the SUV. Jennings would get the door for them. He knew his brother was there for them.
“Move!” the police officer commanded through the bullhorn.
As soon as a few people cleared the area, Julius rushed forward with Avalynn in his arms.
“Get the fuck out of here! I’ll break your goddamn camera!” he snapped at everyone who got close to snapping a photo of his wife. They werenotgetting her ugly cry on film and splashing it all over every media source in the world.
She shook in his hold. The black opening of the SUV door loomed in his sight, and he shoved her inside with him climbing in right behind. The door slammed shut, and the vehicle began to move.
He dragged Avalynn into his lap. She buried her face against his chest. Noisy tears escaped her. Not a soul inside the vehicle spoke a word until they reached the hotel.
“Get them inside,” Clay ordered Quaide and Jennings. “I’ll keep Lark with me.”
His brain was hardly present as he moved Avalynn from the vehicle to the penthouse suite. As soon as they got there, her manager and PR team surrounded them.
With her still cradled in his arms, he dipped his mouth to her ear. “Do you want to see them?”
“Not tonight,” she hiccupped.
“You heard her! She’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He carried her into the room and waited to hear the door close behind them. Then he twisted the deadbolt. Only then did he carry her to the bed.
He lay her down gently. Removed her sneakers and drew the covers over her shaking body. He crawled in next to her and tucked her to his chest. “It’s okay now. I’ve got you, honey. You’re safe. Those guys are gone from your life, locked away.”
She shivered. “Then there really were two stalkers?”
“It seems so. Justin French.”
She jerked in his hold. “You’re kidding me.”
“No.”
“My god. I only dated him a short time, back before I even got discovered.”
“I know. Honey…he says he never got it up.”
“What?”
“He couldn’t perform. The tape looked like he was having sex with you, but it didn’t happen. He still violated you, but it wasn’t how it all looked.”
She latched on to his shoulders, fingers digging in. He didn’t care if he wore her bruises. He deserved whatever pain she gave him for what he let happen to her.
She was weeping again, the pitiful sound gutting him.
“Shh, honey. I’ve got you.” He smoothed the hair off her wet face. “Are you crying because you’re scared?”
She shook her head. “I’m…n-not scared. Not anymore. I’m…sad it’s over.”
He froze. His heart slammed into his ribs. Gently, he hooked his finger beneath her chin and lifted her face to meet her gaze. Her eyes swam with tears…and love.
“Jesus, honey.” He squeezed her tight and kissed her forehead as his own chest heaved with bottled emotion. “I love you, Avalynn. I promise you that is real.”
She issued a low cry and used the edge of the sheet to mop her tears.
“Let me get you some tissues.”
