“Uncle Tony.” Adara shuddered as a particularly brutal memory invaded her mind.
“More on your chest and legs?”
Her whole body trembled as an invisible whip lashed her skin. “Yes.” Her voice quavered.
“You’ve never had anyone stand up for you. Things will be different now.”
“I’m scared.”
“I know. But you’re no longer alone. You’re getting a new lease on life. You can do anything you want and go anywhere you want.”
If she moved to a different country, Tony would never find her, but the thought left a bad taste in her mouth.
“Did they both rape you as well?” His gravelly voice sounded hoarse, choked.
Closing her eyes didn’t help as a tear seeped out and made its path down her cheek, caught by the pad of his thumb. Soon, more followed.
“Adara, they’re not going to hurt you again. Understand?”
“The scars are ugly.”
“They’re just skin deep. That’s not what I see when I look at you. I see a beautiful, bright, compassionate woman who I want to get to know better.”
The silence stretched between them, an ever-expanding gulf, as she tried to contain her emotions.
“Did they both rape you, Adara?”
She turned her face into his chest with a sob. “Yes, they…made it a game.” Her tears tracked down his chest as he held her tighter.
“Jesus. You’re gonna heal. We’re gonna get through this. Together.” He held her while she cried, intermittent hiccups breaking the silence.
It’d never occurred to her that she would describe the basics of her abuse. Yet as the night wore on, he extracted and shed light on her darkest horrors, helped her examine them for what they were, memories that would hold no power except that which she gave.
He listened quietly, never judging, offering comfort and support as she gave substance and voice to her recollections that tumbled one after another from the darkest reaches of her mind. It was their game to outdo one another. All the while, they reaffirmed—they would always own her.
“I always feel so dirty, I get up in the middle of the night to take a shower, but it doesn’t help.”
He pressed a handkerchief in her hand. “Hon, people like that thrive on others’ fear. It’s how they control you. They’re the filthy ones. Not you. You didn’t ask for it and couldn’t prevent it. See them for what they are and you can start to feel how I see you.”
She thought about what he’d said. “I remember when my parents were alive, life was so much different. I had a boyfriend. We hadn’t done anything but kiss—but I remember the feeling. Then my folks died and everything changed. I lost all my friends except Graham.” She frowned as the oily darkness of her abuse crept in from the periphery of her mind to stain her reality.
“Wow, that must’ve been a tense thought, Adara. Let’s have it.” Again, he pulled her away from the darkness.
“Well, I knew if I’d gone home the other night, they would have raped me again. That’s why I wouldn’t go. If I’m going to have sex, I’ll decide with who, and when. And I’m not going to be scared.”
He gave her a gentle hug. “Damn straight. That’s my girl.”
Her gaze briefly flicked to his, the corners of her mouth turning up with the warmth in his eyes. My girl? “Before my parents died, I used to dream someday I’d love a man, and he’d protect me, take care of me, and encourage me to follow my dreams. When they died, I figured I had indulged in a warm and wonderful fantasy. Tony and Gary taught me the darkest truths about men. Their reality exerted itself and brought me into their world…one filled with nothing but evil.”
“Adara, it’s not a fantasy for people to live their dreams. It takes effort, but it’s well worth it. Consider yourself free to find new hope, a new life.”
She leaned her head into his fingers as he stroked her cheek. It seemed he now knew every aspect of her life, as well as her mind.
Eventually, when her tears dried up, she remained calmer as he continued to pull horrific memories from her past. Her voice, initially filled with hurt and anger, transformed into a soul-searching self-examination.
Understanding came in slow degrees—she wasn’t to blame and at the time couldn’t control events surrounding her life. Realization gave way to astonishment, and then morphed again into anger. “Will my emotions always vacillate like this?” She may never get revenge, but she could gain the upper hand by cutting them off financially. She’d never been vindictive or vengeful.
“In time, they won’t rent space in your thoughts. Your feelings will stabilize. I know you don’t want to hear or know anything else about them, but until you’ve processed everything that’s happened, memories will haunt you. I have a friend who can help you deal with that. A psychologist.”
“Again, Julien, thank you.”
“Rest now, Adara. I just want to hold you for a while if that’s all right. But remember, you always have a choice.”
“Okay.”
Her breathing slowed and evened out, a languid heaviness beckoning her eyelids down as she imagined a life busy growing prized roses and baking fancy wedding cakes.
When he said her name and gently squeezed her shoulder, realization of her circumstances shocked her. “Oh. I fell asleep. I can’t believe I went to sleep in a man’s arms.”
“No. Adara. Not any man. Mine. Understand? Mine.” When he spoke with such a deep voice, a thrill reverberated through her soul, as if his essence declared her entire being his for all time.
“Yes, yours.”
“Time for bed now, sweetheart.”
She shot straight up and turned to assess his meaning.
“Your bed for you. My bed for me. Okay?” His half grin depicted understanding her interpretation. His expression remained empathetic with his meaning now clear.
“Um, yes. Thank you for letting me sleep. What time is it?”
“A little after midnight. I’ll get you one of my T-shirts to sleep in. Okay?” Somehow, sleepwear had missed the agenda when they’d gone shopping.
* * * *
Julien startled as Nika’s sudden eruption into alarm mode accompanied the deep timbre of canine rage with snarls and barking filling the room. Hackles stood along the length of her back, the whites of her eyes in stark relief against black and golden fur as she raged toward the beach. Her nails screeched against the glass wall in a frantic quest to attack.
At the edge of the yard, where darkness overpowered the stretch of his floodlight, a small swath of light probed forward through the inky blackness before falling pitch-black.
Someone shut off a flashlight.
“Adara, it seems we have uninvited company.” Julien helped her stand before guiding her toward the stairway. “Go upstairs, hon, to your bedroom. Nika will go with you. Now.” After Julien’s protect command, the canine bodyguard turned and followed her up the stairs. “I’m gonna welcome our guest.” Without waiting for a response, he grabbed his Glock and a flashlight from the kitchen cabinet en route to the garage.
A quick abbreviated text to Conner reported the situation, then a few clicks armed the security panel before he slipped outside through the garage’s personnel door. No doubt, the intrusion centered around Adara. Whether it was her family or the weasel, Julien intended to put a stop to it.
A blanket of clouds barricaded the moonbeams that might’ve helped while grass gave way to sand on his path to the sea. He doubted anyone would stick around if they had knowledge of Crofton dogs.
Visions of Adara, tied and abused, set up shop in the farthest caverns of his mind while tendrils of anger slithered out to tangle with logic and sanity. Whoever the night’s potential shooting victim turned out to be, Julien realized he couldn’t kill him on the spot. Adara deserved to see justice work on her behalf. She’d need it to regain equilibrium.
Sand dunes between him and the water’s edge were tall enough to hide a prowler, the perfect spot to lie in wait for an ambush. Nevertheless, his flashlight’s beam cut side to side in search of the uninvited guest.
Malformed depressions in loose sand gave way to firm packed prints leading into the surf and disappearing under the harsh hands of increasing waves.
The sound of rhythmic splashes at the water’s edge lulled him into a false sense of security. He knew how to blend with the environment to disguise his presence. Judging by the spyware found at Adara’s desk, his opponent did, too. The searchlight caught the back of his caller’s hooded wetsuit. The flash of fins above the frothy wind swells disappeared in the deeper onshore waves.
Helpless rage engulfed him. At least the dirtbag knew there’d be no sneaking up on his house, which didn’t preclude the use of a rifle. Vulnerability had never been in Julien’s repertoire. Time for a new game plan. Various options formed during his trek back.
Once Julien stepped through the door, Nika bounded down the stairs when called. Though the dog’s hackles had smoothed down, her posture remained tight and alert. He let her out via the slider with a search command in hopes she’d pick up the new scent. With nose to the ground, the dog headed toward the surf.
Quiet footsteps alerted him to Adara’s presence, her alarmed reflection in the glass churning his stomach.
“Did you see anyone?”
“Whoever it was left via waterway express.”
“But they’ll be back…”
“And I’ll deal with him.”
Within minutes, the throaty roar of his brother’s pickup signaled the first of three anticipated callers. Conner, the oldest, assumed point in dangerous endeavors, disseminating information and providing the voice of reason.
“Nothing to worry about, hon. Why don’t you go back to bed while my brothers visit. You look exhausted.” There was no reason for her to lose more sleep.
“Are you sure? I could fix something to eat or…”
”No, hon. Go back to bed. I’ll check in on you when they leave. Okay?”
“All right. Thanks, Julien.” Worry etched her brow and slowed her step.
After calling Nika in and rekeying the alarm, Julien made another pot of coffee. A long night lay ahead. By now, all his brothers would know of the threat against Adara, and wouldn’t leave until he’d divulged every detail of her life. At times, they might argue and pick at each other, but no outsider obtained that privilege. A common enemy always brought them together.