Jared moves to me. “How long has that been going on?”
I give him a tired smile. “You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I’m not some weak damsel you need to save.”
“I never thought you were. It takes incredible strength to leave a man like that.”
His compliment makes my belly flip. “It wasn’t always bad. In the beginning our marriage was good, but things turned on a dime. I should have left him the first time, but he was so sorry and I really believed him when he said it wouldn’t happen again.”
“And it did?”
“Yes. Many times.” I push my hair back from my face as I let out a breath. “Simone, my cousin, helped me leave.” She had been my guardian angel—she still is. “I don’t know why I’m telling you any of this.”
“I want to hear it.”
“You really don’t.” I snort. “My life wasn’t unicorns and rainbows.”
“Is it now?”
I consider his question, my eyes scanning his face. He’s moved closer to me and I didn’t even realize it, but having him in my space feels good, right even.
“It’s getting there,” I admit.
“What would make it get there faster?”
Him.
I don’t say this. Instead, I shrug. “I don’t know.”
He leans closer and I hold my breath, but he pulls a set of keys from his pocket. My keys, I realize.
“You left these in the door. That’s why I came over.”
“Oh… I was opening up when Thomas… appeared.” I close my eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry you got dragged into my mess.”
“I didn’t get dragged anywhere. It’s not in me to look the other way when people are being hurt, especially someone I happen to care deeply about.”
Again, he’s saying he cares deeply about me. My brain goes into overdrive. Does he mean it?
“Well, thank you for that. God knows what might have happened if you hadn’t come over.”
“I won’t let anyone hurt you, Nia.”
“You can’t promise that.”
He swallows hard as the air between us seems to grow and swell. I want to touch him, to be close to him, but fear keeps me locked in place.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he repeats, and then he leans in.
For a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me and my entire body prepares itself. Our lips don’t meet. He pulls back with a jolt, as if realizing where things are about to go, and without warning hands me something—my keys, I realize.
Then, he flees the store like he has the devil on his heels.
13
Jared
It’s two days after I caught Nia’s ex trying to hurt her. I’m ashamed to say in that time, I’ve done everything I can to avoid her. Why? Because I almost kissed her.
Shit.
That can’t happen—especially not while she’s vulnerable. I’m not sure I’m ready to go there either. The ghosts of the past still haunt me and I don’t want to bring that kind of baggage to Nia’s door.
As I pull my car into the garage parking lot, my eyes gravitate of their own accord to Nia’s store. It’s pathetic and desperate, but I can’t help but wonder if she’s okay, if she’s as freaked out by the kiss we almost had as I am.
Driving past, I notice there’s something weird about the front door, but I can’t focus on it and steer the car. Once I’ve picked a space and shut the engine down, I climb out of the car and slowly walk across the street.
I should leave it alone. Whatever it is it’s not my problem, but I made that promise that nothing bad would happen to her again, and I don’t break my word.
As I approach the door, I can see what caught my attention. It’s been jimmied open, the wooden frame broken down one side.
“Jared!” Nia’s surprised voice has my head snapping in her direction.
I hold a hand up, stopping her in her tracks.
“What’s wrong?” she demands, and I shake my head.
“The door.” I point to the broken wood, and her hands fly to her face. Raising a finger to my lips, I indicate for her to keep quiet. Then I reach for the door handle.
She snags my arm, pulling me back. Together, we step away from the door.
“Are you crazy?” she hisses at me in a low voice. “You can’t go in there.”
“I’m just going to make sure whoever broke in isn’t still there.”
“Exactly! Crazy!” She gives me a little shake, as if she can shake some sense into me. “You’re not going in there.”
“Nee, I was in the Army for years. I can clear a store.”
“Was in the Army, Jared. Was. You no longer are. Let’s just call the police.”
“Trust me, okay?”
She lets go of my arm and I see the warring emotions playing across her face. “I do trust you.”
I don’t know why, but her saying that warms me in a way I didn’t know I could be. It’s been a long time since I had the trust of a woman. Realistically, she probably shouldn’t trust me. The last woman who did ended up dead, but I vow I’ll keep Nia safe, no matter what it costs.
With a final glance at Nia, carefully, I push the bottom of the door with my foot until it swings open. Without any lights on, the inside of the store is a series of shadows I can barely see through.
I feel Nia shifting next to me, but I ignore her and step inside the store. My fear is pushed into the same box I’d shove it in when I was deployed, and that ingrained training takes over. I clear the room like I’m on a mission, ready for whatever might happen. As I pass a display that has been knocked over, I see a fire poker among the debris and pick that up. It won’t do much damage, but it might just be enough protection if it’s needed.
I step over items littering the floor, careful not to add to the destruction, and move through the building methodically, clearing each room as I go. I wish I had one of my old team behind me, but Beanie and Slider won’t be here for another thirty minutes or so, and no way am I waiting for the cops to turn up—not if there is danger still here.
As my eyes start to adjust from the brilliant sunlight to the darkness of the store, I can see clearly the level of destruction that has occurred and my stomach twists painfully. This was done maliciously, no doubt about it, but who did it, I don’t know, but suspect it could be her asshole ex.
By the time I reach the last room, I’m convinced whoever broke in is long gone, so I turn the lights on. The main shop had seemed like a disaster in the poor light, now, illuminated by the overhead lights, it’s catastrophic.
Decorations are broken and furniture upended, but there’s a pattern to the destruction that I can’t quite work out.
I beckon through the window to Nia to join me, which she does. As soon as she steps foot over the threshold, she gasps, her face dropping into her hands. I don’t blame her for her reaction. She worked hard to get her store up and running and now…
I glance around the chaos, and feel my mouth pull into a tight line. This is made worse as she moves slowly through the destroyed store.
“Oh my God,” she mutters.