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“I promise I won’t go on a rampage. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve grown up and learned how to exact my revenge without getting caught.’
“You better be joking.”
“No ma’am, I’m not.” He rubbed his thumb across my hand, then kissed the top. “Now stop stalling and get talking.”
He was right. I was stalling. Damn him for knowing me so well.
“First, believe me when I say I never stopped loving you. But love wasn’t enough for me. In my attempt to move on and create the life I’d dreamed of, I got with the wrong man. Jake might’ve been a billionaire and kept me busy, but you were never forgotten. When I brought him to meet my family, it was easy to see the differences between both of you. That weekend everything had changed for me, and I questioned everything.”
Cade remained silent, working his tense jaw, so I kept going before I lost the courage to tell him what he wanted to hear most.
“After we talked on the phone when Jake was out of town, I knew I was ending it with him to be with you. But it was like he knew it before I could tell him. Every time I tried to discuss moving out, he’d divert the conversation, or he’d avoid me. That went on for weeks and during that time, you were dealing with fires and lost cattle.”
“Which you said Jake was behind.”
“Yes, but I swear I only learned the truth a few days ago.”
“I know. Keep going, sweetheart.”
“Last week, all kinds of weird stuff was happening. I couldn’t remember going to bed or having conversations. Or how I’d gotten a bruise on my leg or arm. Or having sex with Jake after making it clear to him I didn’t want to.”
A growl rumbled in Cade’s chest, but I didn’t stop.
“Thursday night I learned Jake had been drugging me and threatened to kill you if I left him. He put an engagement ring on my finger and told me we’d be married in two weeks.”
Cade’s eyes widened and he seethed.
“Friday evening, I faked being sick, and a doctor came to the beach house to examine me. He was a sweet older man, and he confessed to being on Jake’s payroll. He warned me Jake was trying to get me pregnant and paid off my gynecologist to notadminister my birth control shot last month after our visit out here.”
“So he’s been raping you while you were unconscious?”
A shudder worked through my body at his words. “Guess I’d blocked it out of my mind, even though there’d been signs. I just couldn’t believe he’d assaulted me.” I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about the bite marks. “But I said no so many times yesterday morning.”
“Goddamn him!” The pain in his blue eyes almost undid me. But I needed to keep going.
“I went to work feeling like I had nothing to live for and I just wanted to die.” Choking back my tears was pointless. I let them flow despite being tired of crying. “He threatened your life, and I would never do anything to put you or my family in harms way. But I couldn’t stay with him, Cade. I couldn’t.”
He took a deep breath. “So you tried to slice your wrist?”
“Subconsciously, when I was lost in my thoughts.” I pulled myself together and continued. “It’s all my fault.”
“What?” he hissed, like he couldn’t believe what I’d said.
“If I had left him the minute we got home from our visit, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. It’s my fault.”
Cade’s eyes filled with emotion. “None of this is your fault. Can I hug you?”
“I appreciate you asking for permission, but it’s not necessary. If I didn’t want to be touched, I know I can push you away, and you’d respect my feelings.”
He guided me slowly into his embrace, so cautious and gentle. And this was why I loved him my whole life.
“When a woman says no, the man stops. I don’t care if she’d been saying yes the whole time and they’re both naked. If she suddenly changes her mind… no means no. He stops. Every man knows that. Jesus, baby. I’m so sorry.” He held me protectively, and I relished being safe in his arms.
“Thank you, Cade. Do you feel different about me after you know everything?” I held my breath waiting for his reply. It might have sounded like a silly question. Cade was an amazing man, and I was sure he wouldn’t let what happened to me change anything, but I needed to hear him say it.
“No, sweetheart.” He rubbed my back. “I love you with everything that’s in me. You’ll always be the only woman for me.”
Those were the words I needed to hear. Now the healing could begin.
