Cole took her to a small, intimate bar with dim lights, cozy booths, and soft music. He ordered them both a whiskey, and after their drinks had been brought over, he sipped his while he waited for her to talk.

“I don’t know how he found me,” she murmured, almost to herself, as she dug her fingernail into a groove on the wooden table.

“Were you on your way home? Your shift finished hours ago, right?”

She lifted her chin. Her eyes were huge, and her skin even more pale than usual. “I’d been to meet my parents. We’d become estranged since I married Tanner. Tonight was a reconciliation of sorts, and it had gone so well. I was walking to the subway when he appeared out of nowhere.” She let out a breath and touched her fingers to her mouth. When she dropped her hand back to the table, she was wearing a tired and resigned expression. “I can’t stay here now. I’m sorry to mess you around, what with the job and all, but…” Her voice trailed off.

“You’re going nowhere.”

She ignored him, choosing instead to stare out the window into the dusk. He fixated on her reflection. He didn’t have an enormous amount of experience with domestic violence victims—that wasn’t his department—but the despair and utter desperation in her eyes, how wary she was to new situations or experiences, her nervousness, the manner in which she flinched from physical touch, the downturn to her mouth, the furrow between her brows. Yep, that was exactly what he was looking at in Millie.

He broke his promise never to ask her because, damn it, he needed to know.

“Tell me what he did to you. I can help you. I’ll keep you safe.”

She slowly turned her head. “Why would you do that? You don’t even know me anymore.”

He almost blurted out every last detail of how he felt about the woman sitting opposite, but at the last moment he managed to stop himself, because that would have been one fucking big mistake.

He longed to hold her, to soothe and comfort her. Christ, he wanted her, every broken piece, because he knew he could put her back together again. But he had to move slowly. This wasn’t about him, and his wants and needs, it was all about her.

He covered her hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze before drawing back. “I know you’re hurting. I know who’s responsible. And I know I can help fix that.” He shrugged, then hit her with a broad grin. “What can I say? I’m a fucking A1 American hero. New York’s finest, baby.”

She laughed—a real, honest-to-goodness laugh that chased away the terrible pain on her face, if only for a few seconds. “Yes, you are.”

The moment over, she cast her eyes downward and picked at her thumbnail. He let the silence linger. It hovered there until, eventually, she sat a little straighter, and he knew she’d made the decision to talk, or at least share some details.

“For a long time, I didn’t realize anything was wrong. In fact, on the odd occasion one of Tanner’s colleagues would make a joke about him keeping me under lock and key, I’d get quite defensive. I wasn’t under Tanner’s control. I was my own woman.” She gave a short, bitter laugh. “It’s like a constant state of denial mixed with a nagging feeling you’re going insane. Tanner is a complete narcissist, which I could have understood more if he’d been successful. But because his ego couldn’t handle failure, his lack of a big football career became my fault.

“In hindsight, I realize I kind of shut down, went numb. I would bolster myself with daily ‘positive thinking’ mantras that everything was normal and okay. I would spend most of my day justifying myself to him—where I was going, what I was doing, who I spoke to, who spoke to me. It was worse because he couldn’t keep an eye on me twenty-four seven because he had to work. So, to make up for that, he’d force me to account for every second of every day.”

She swallowed the remains of her whiskey. Cole immediately called for another round for them both, because a horrible sick feeling had begun to churn in his stomach the more she spoke.

“He would ring me umpteen times throughout the day. If I didn’t answer immediately, then I’d get inundated with text messages and follow-up calls. ‘Worried about you, babe. Don’t want to stress you out, babe. Who’s there with you, babe?’”

She paused, waiting until the server dropped off their drinks. Her finger circled the rim of the glass as she kept her gaze averted. It made her harder to read, but he could hardly demand she look at him. However she needed to offload was fine by him, although the more she disclosed, the angrier Cole became. If that fucker Tanner thought he was getting within ten feet of this woman again, well, he’d have to get through Cole first.

Like that is gonna happen.

“My existence consisted of being on the receiving end of constant criticism and ridicule. Nothing I did was ever good enough for Tanner. He turned insignificant things into big problems, and every single one was my fault. Tanner mastered ‘the sulk’, and boy, I’d do anything I could to avoid one of those. They could last for weeks. He was an expert at passive aggression and manipulation. Treading on eggshells around someone you live with for days on end, well, it crushes your soul. Eventually he eroded my confidence, my self-esteem. My self-worth. I hated him for that and hated myself even more for allowing him to do that to me.

“Tanner never hit me, but the threat of violence got steadily worse. About a year ago, I plucked up the courage to tell him I was leaving. He threw himself to the floor and begged me not to, telling me he’d kill himself, so I caved. As soon as he knew he’d won, he reasserted control. I remember that night he removed every knife from the kitchen drawer and sharpened each one, his eyes fixed on me the whole time. The threat was very real.”

Cole’s vision clouded, and he clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. “Jesus,” he muttered, his brain conjuring up all the ways he could torture that fucker until he begged for death.

She carried on as though he hadn’t interjected. “That was the final breaking point. I knew I had to get out. I spent a year saving every penny I could get a hold of. It was hard because he’d often check receipts from the grocery store. I lived on the edge, panicking in case he discovered my stash of escape money. When the time came, I waited until he went to work, and I ran. I packed two suitcases and left. My hopes, my dreams, my home, all left behind, and it was worth it…until he found me.” She closed her eyes and rubbed at the space between her eyebrows. “It was stupid to come back here. Of course, New York would be the first place he looked. I guess I just thought if I stayed away from my parents’ house, I’d be okay. Manhattan’s huge. What are the chances of him stumbling across me?”

“I doubt he stumbled across anything,” Cole said, heart pounding as he struggled to contain his anger at Tanner and manage his helplessness for her suffering. “My guess is he knew you’d come back to New York, and he bided his time until he found an opportune moment.”

She shuddered. “But how did he know where I’d be tonight?” She didn’t wait for an answer, or his thoughts. “It doesn’t matter anyway. The fact he’s found me means I have to leave. Coming here was wrong. He wouldn’t be able to track me if I went somewhere else.”

“Do you want to risk that, though? Spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder, running and waiting for him to turn up?” He took a chance and reached for her hand again. The earlier touch had left him craving more. He could sense her retreating, getting ready to take flight, a wrong decision that he intended to stop. He folded her hand inside his and brushed his thumb over her knuckles. “You have choices. You can take out a protection order. That way if he harasses you again, we can take him in.”

She shook her head. “No. No police. No courts.”

“Millie—”

Her hand came up. “No, Cole,” she said in a firm tone. “Doing that will only rile him. Let me deal with this in my own way.”

He wasn’t surprised by her response, but equally, he wasn’t willing to do nothing either. Not when it came to her.

“Then let me help. I can keep you safe. Trust me, please. Don’t run. It’s no way to live your life.”

She studied his face. A warmth grew in the pit of his stomach the longer her eyes were on him, reaffirming his belief that she was The One, the reason why he’d never gotten past a few dates with anyone else. But her admission she’d been abused for years changed everything. She didn’t need another man, despite the fact that he was nothing like that bastard Tanner. She needed safety, security, protection, a place to slowly heal.

He could provide all of those. And perhaps, one day, when she was ready, she’d turn to him the way he desperately wanted her to.

She blinked slowly, her eyes almost closing. “I don’t want to leave,” she whispered. “Not when I have a chance of reconciling with my parents. Not when I might discover who I really am.” And then her eyes sprang open. “That’s how he found me, isn’t it? I bet he’s been watching my parents’ house, and then he followed them tonight.”

Yep…highly likely. He didn’t know for certain. How could he? But the last thing she needed was more blame piled upon her. Her fucking husband had done more than enough damage.

Cole tightened his hold on her hand. “It’s possible, I guess.”

Her head rocked back, and she rested it against the wall behind her. “I’m never going to be free, am I?”

Cole clenched his jaw. “Yes, you will. I understand your reticence to get the police and the courts involved, but please, keep it in the back of your mind. In the meantime, trust me. Not police officer me, but Cole, your friend.”

She pulled in her lips, indecision written in the curve of her shoulders. After a seemingly endless pause, she nodded. “Okay.”

Relief rushed through him so quickly, his head spun. He stood and held out his hand. “Come on.”

“Where to?”

The one place he knew he could keep her safe. He’d deal with the fallout later if, in fact, there was any. “We’re going back to your place to grab your stuff, and then you’re coming to stay at the hotel with me. No arguments.”

An hour later, Cole carried Millie’s suitcases up the steps of the hotel. Even if he hadn’t already made the decision about her coming to live there, one look at the hellhole she’d been living in for the past four weeks would have remedied that. Fucking disgraceful how those places were still allowed to house people. Drug-addict and rat-infested shithouses that he wouldn’t keep a dog in, let alone a single woman. Shuddering, he imagined what could have happened to her there, and he kicked himself for not finding out where she’d been living earlier. He should have known she wouldn’t have been able to afford a nice place. Although they paid a fair wage, it certainly wasn’t enough to live well in Manhattan.

“Are you sure this is going to be okay with everyone else?” She chewed on her lip, her eyes huge as she gazed up at him.

Yes, he was damned sure. He didn’t care what his brothers said, this was happening. “I’m certain. I do own an equal share in this place. You can stay in Nate’s room. He never comes to visit anyway.”

She hung back, clearly uncomfortable. He knew her discomfort came only from fear of his brothers’ reactions. As soon as she’d cleared that hurdle, she’d be fine.

“Why don’t you sit in there.” He pointed his chin at the lounge area, mostly empty of guests bar a few stragglers. “And I’ll go speak to Jax and Calum.”

The wash of relief over her face told him he’d been spot on. If they weren’t happy, she didn’t want to be standing there witnessing the battle going on around her.

“Okay.” She took a seat in the chair nearest the door. Her hand went straight to her mouth, and she nibbled on a thumbnail. His heart clenched. She looked so lost and alone.

He jogged downstairs. Jax and Indie were relaxing on the couch watching TV while Calum and Laurella were nowhere to be seen. Good. The initial absence of his twin would make this easier. Divide and conquer.

“Hey,” Cole said, taking the chair adjacent to the couch. He rested his forearms on his knees and leaned forward. “Need to tell you something.” He used the words specifically. This wasn’t about Jax granting him a favor, or him asking for permission. Like he told Millie, he owned a quarter of this hotel. His wants, needs, and opinions, counted.

Jax cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

Cole stared his brother square in the eye. “Millie is moving in.”

Jax stopped lounging and sat up straight. “What? Why?”

“Because her deadbeat husband showed up tonight, and she needs a safe haven until he gives up harassing her. Oh, and she’s living in a shithole.”

Jax frowned. “And that’s our problem because…?”

Cole raised an eyebrow and gave his brother an impassive stare. “It’s not your problem. It’s my problem. And I’m solving it.”

“Jax,” Indie added, her tone chiding. “Have some compassion.”

Jax swept a hand over his face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it to come out like that. Of course I feel for the girl, but we don’t even know her. Can’t you just arrest her husband or something?”

Cole made a frustrated noise. “No, I can’t just arrest him because, legally, he’s done nothing wrong. And you might not know her, but I do. At least, I knew her pretty well in high school. She’s scared and alone and needs a fucking friend.”

“Where will she stay?”

“Nate’s room. It’s not like he ever visits anyway. No point keeping it a shrine.”

Jax winced. Nate’s reluctance to visit hurt his eldest brother in a major way.

“And if he does make a surprise trip? He’s done it before.”

Cole clenched his jaw at Jax throwing up barriers. Still, he’d sit there all night knocking the fuckers down, because in the end, he’d win. “Then I’ll sleep on the couch until he goes back to California and Millie can take my room.”

Jax’s lips twisted to the side. “I guess it couldn’t hurt. You need to check with Calum, too. It’s more awkward for him and Laurella.”

“I doubt Laurella will be bothered in the slightest. She and Millie hit it off pretty well.”

Indie grinned. “So even if Calum does have a problem, he’s going to get precisely nowhere.”

Cole chuckled. Indie and Calum had a tricky relationship. They sort of danced around one another like a couple of fighters at a UFC bout, each one waiting for the other to land the first punch—metaphorically speaking.

“Millie is upstairs with her bags, so I’ll speak with him now. He in?”

Jax’s eyes widened. “She’s here?”

“Yep.”

“And what if I’d said no?”

Cole narrowed his gaze. “You miss the point, bro. This was a tell situation. I had no intention of asking for permission.”

Indie leaned forward and patted his knee. “Oh, Cole, I’m loving this side of you. More, please.”

Cole deliberated about her comment. It was about time he stood up for what he wanted. “You can bank on it.”

Jax threw him a look of pride. “Well, that certainly told me. Next up, Calum. Wait while I grab popcorn.”

Cole flashed a quick grin and then wandered across the room and rapped on his brother’s bedroom door. A few seconds later, Calum opened it.

“Got a minute?” Cole asked.

“Sure.” Calum stood back and gestured for Cole to go inside. “What’s up?”

Laurella popped her head around the bathroom door. “Hey, Cole. You okay?”

Cole pulled his lips to one side. “You should probably hear this, too.”

She raised an eyebrow and padded into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Cole’s gaze latched on to Calum. “Millie is moving in.”

Calum almost choked, and his eyes widened. “Fuck, you move quick.”

Cole shook his head. “It’s not like that. She’s taking Nate’s room. Tanner turned up today. He’s been abusing her.”

A look of horror crossed Laurella’s face, not surprising given what she’d been through. “What type of abuse?” she asked tentatively.

“More emotional than physical, I think. It’s been going on for years.” He turned his attention back to Calum. “I get this might be kinda awkward for you, but I’m not here asking for permission. I’m telling you it’s happening. She needs a safe place to stay, and I’ve decided that’s here.”

Calum scuffed a hand over the top of his head, making his hair stand on end. “Well, look at you, Mother Teresa.”

Laurella gave him a glare that would have made lesser men wither. Calum just cocked a brow, a glimmer of a smile playing around his lips.

“So, you’re good?” Cole asked, “Not that it matters, because she’s moving in anyway.”

Calum laughed. “Fair enough.”

“Well I’m thrilled,” Laurella said. “I really like her. It’ll be nice to have another girl around the place.”

“I’ll leave you to it then,” Cole said. “She’s waiting upstairs, worried to death you’d throw a fit.”

Calum put on an aggrieved expression. “I don’t deserve my reputation.”

Cole choked a laugh. “Okay,” he said, sarcasm evident.

As he was halfway upstairs to go tell Millie the good news, Calum caught up with him. He gripped Cole’s upper arm.

“Bro, for what it’s worth, it’s about goddamn time.”

Cole scratched his cheek. “What are you talking about?”

“I know, Cole. How you feel about her. I’ve always known. Why do you think I dumped her? The main reason I was so pissed when she turned up here again wasn’t because I was worried Laurella would feel awkward about a girl I dated in high school. I was concerned Millie would hurt you again, like she did when she went off with Tanner. But I know you. I can see it in your eyes every time she’s around. So go get the girl and don’t fucking screw it up.”

Cole stared at his brother, mouth agape. He swept a hand over the back of his head, confused. “How did you know?”

Calum offered a faint smile. “I saw you one day. You were leaning on the wall by the gym. The look on your face. It was… you were… transfixed. I followed your gaze. Millie was with a few of her friends getting ready for a game of volleyball. At first I thought you were just checking out a bunch of hot girls in their skimpy skirts, but then she walked away to grab a drink, and your eyes tracked her every move.” He shrugged. “That night I broke up with her.”

Shock rolled through Cole. His heart rate shot up, and his skin prickled as Calum’s confession began to sink in. “Why didn’t you tell me at the time?”

Calum wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know. You always did have a tendency to watch from afar, at least back then. I should have given you a fucking shove in the right direction. I didn’t, so I’m doing it now.”

Guilt surged through him. It wasn’t Calum’s responsibility to kick him in the ass. He needed to kick himself in the ass—and fucking hard. But, as usual, his realization came too late. “There’s no point.”

Calum’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you say that?”

He laughed bitterly. “She’s hardly in the right head space for another relationship right now, is she?”

“She will be.” Calum clapped him on the arm. “I’m guessing that at this point she needs a shoulder to lean on, a friend, someone to show her some kindness.” He laughed. “That’s you, dickhead, in case you hadn’t realized. So, give her what she needs and bide your time. When she’s ready, she’ll let you know, and you’ll be in pole position.”

Calum took off back downstairs. Cole stared after him, still in shock at his selflessness. All these years, Calum had kept the reason for breaking up with Millie to himself, taken Cole’s anger at what he’d seen as Calum’s cold-hearted dismissal on the chin.

And then a horrible realization crept over him, slowly at first, then more rapidly—the butterfly effect—Calum had broken up with Millie because he’d spotted Cole’s infatuation, and it was Calum breaking up with her that had sent Millie into Tanner’s arms. If he’d stepped up in the very beginning, all this suffering could have been avoided.

Fuck. Me.