I’m almost too angry, too disappointed, to give a damn how she feels. A gangster. A man like that. How desperate could she be? Then I remember how the intolerable pain of losing her drove me to other women. Bodies that I used and discarded. Faces that I pretended were her. She made a desperate choice and that was all it took for him to sink his claws into her.

My hands clench into fists and my entire body vibrates with the effort of keeping myself under control. She’s upset enough without me flying off the handle again. “Explain it to me,” I ask in a quiet voice.

“I don’t know where to begin,” she says, looking down at her hands. She rubs them together over and over, like she’s washing without any water. “All I can tell you is that it was already too late by the time I discovered the sort of man he really is. He won’t let me go, Tyson. I’ve tried. I’ve tried so many times to get away from him. He’ll hurt me if I leave him, but worse he will hurt my family. He’s already told me so. He’s already given me previews of what it would be like if I ever went through with it.”

“That son of a bitch,” I spit, rage boiling up. My heart races as adrenaline surges through my system. I want to kill the bastard for even touching her.

She looks up at me. “So now you understand why it’s crucial that you don’t try to pursue this. I’ve already taken a big risk in coming here, and I pray he doesn’t find out.” She clasps her hands together, pressing hard. Desperate. “Please, promise me.”

“I can’t let you go back to a man like that. Who do you think I am? Do you think I’m some coward who can’t protect you?” I sit beside her, taking her hands in mine. “I have all the money I need to set you up someplace safe. We can hire bodyguards, even get the police involved. I know who to talk to, and I would never, ever let him get to you. He would have to get through me first—and I would love to see him try, the cheap thug. Just let the coward try to come at me and he’ll see what I have in store for him.” I can just imagine tearing into that prick, making him bleed. Making him beg for mercy, as I’m sure he’s made her beg. The thought of him even laying a finger on her precious skin makes me want to kill him. Nothing else will satisfy me now.

Her eyes are wide, full of terror, before she bursts into tears and falls against my chest. “Oh, Tyson! I wish it were that simple! You have no idea how much I wish it were!”

She shakes as sobs rack her body. I hold her until they subside. “Why isn’t it that simple? Why can’t I help you?” I ask, brushing the hair back from her forehead. Trying to comfort her in any way I can.

“Because his father is a judge. A crooked, terrible, evil man. He protects Tony and his buddies—that’s really how they beat that case against them. Because he interfered. It’s not just me Tony will hurt if I leave him. He’s threatened my family. He’ll make us all pay if I don’t stay with him. Nothing will ever happen to him or his friends if something happens to us. I can’t even get a restraining order against him. Everybody’s in his pocket. Nobody can help me. Nobody.”

“I can help. I’ll find a way,” I tell her.

She shakes her head, still crying softly. “I can’t risk that. Don’t you see? He’ll retaliate. You can’t keep us all safe. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my family because I was too stupid to stay away from you.”

“Izzy, Izzy,” I whisper, my heart aching for her. I can’t even begin to imagine living that way, always afraid, knowing there’s no way out. Knowing that her loved ones could suffer the consequences if she reaches for a bit of happiness for herself. “I can’t let you go on like this. I know there’s so much to think and talk about, but I won’t even be able to sleep at night for worrying about you. It was bad enough when I didn’t know what’s happening, but now? Fuck. Knowing he could hurt you, or worse? I can’t let it go. I just can’t.”

“Oh, Tyson, please.” She lifts her head, looking deep into my eyes. “Please. I can’t let you do anything. I need you to—”

“I know. You need me to promise not to try anything, or else he’ll find out and he’ll make your life hell. I understand.” I brush my thumb across her cheek, rubbing away her tears, being as gentle as I can while my insides roil and boil and I imagine every way possible of killing that fucker. I won’t let him get away with it, even if I have to be especially careful for her sake.

“I don’t want to be with him anymore. God, I haven’t wanted to be with him for almost as long as I’ve been with him. He showed me his true colors early on—not early enough, sadly. What a stupid fool I was to fall for his fake charm and empty promises.”

“You did what you thought was right.” I think of him as a vulture circling an empty sky, waiting, heartless. An innocent girl like her—so beautiful, so precious and untainted. He must’ve thought he hit the jackpot, the monster.

“I do want to be with you.” She kisses my cheek, my jaw, my mouth. “I do, I do. It’s so unfair. Why did life have to turn out this way?”

She’s killing me. She’s twisting the knife in my heart and making it all but impossible not to march out of the hotel and track Tony Jackson down and snap his neck. I kiss her back, tasting the salty tears. “I know,” I whisper, stroking her hair, her back. “I know. It isn’t fair.”

She touches her forehead to mine. “Maybe there’s a way to protect my family before I leave him. I’ve been thinking about it. I think it’s possible if I play it safe. He might be leaving town tonight for a few days—if I can do it then …”

She’s so desperate. So painfully desperate. I want to wrap her in my arms and never let her go. Just let that bastard try to get to her while I’m holding her. Then again, it isn’t just her. It’s her family. Even so, I would move heaven and earth for her. She needs only give me the word. “Don’t do anything yet. I’ll be here for you. Whatever you want, we’ll make it happen. Let me think about this. Let me come up with a good plan for us and your family. Don’t take any chances tonight,” I warn her anxiously.

She laughs humorlessly. “Trust me, I won’t.”

“Are you able to come here tomorrow at noon. I’ll have a plan by then.”

“All right. I’ll meet you here. Noon tomorrow.”

“How are you going to get back?” I ask.

“I’ll just take a taxi.”

She finishes getting her things together and I hold her tight before she dashes out the door. I’ve become paranoid so I feel as if it’s the last time I’ll ever touch her.

“Wait! Wait!” I catch her before she gets on the elevator.

“What is it?”

“Let’s exchange numbers this time. Let’s not make the same mistake.”

She shakes her head. “No. Don’t ever call me. Even if I delete a number he has a contact at the phone company and gets a list of all the numbers that I call or call me.”

“What?” I explode.

She touches my face. “It’s okay. It’s just something he does. Tell me your number. I will remember it and call you from the phone box just outside my apartment complex if anything happens or I can’t make it. Otherwise I’ll meet you here tomorrow.

I give her my number and make her repeat it numerous times.

I swallow the overpowering urge not to let her go back to him. It makes my hands clench. “Call me if anything changes. All right?” She nods before hurrying away.