Page 45 of Escape

“What do you mean, then?”

Since I was still holding on to her hand with one of mine, I lifted the other and showed her the back of it. “Remember when you asked me about what happened to my hands?”

A look washed over her that indicated she had forgotten about my hands, but at the mention of them, she suddenly remembered. “Yes. Are you telling me that you…”

“I had just gotten word that you were here and heavily medicated, that it would be a little while before I’d be allowed to come and see you,” I shared. “So, I went back, and when he got home, I made sure he knew that you were done with him and that he was never to contact you again.”

Josie’s throat moved with a deep swallow. “You did?”

“I did.”

“But it seems like you didn’t just have a conversation with him about this,” she noted.

Shaking my head, I confirmed, “I did not.”

Her gaze roamed over me. “Are you okay?”

My lips twitched. “Honey, he didn’t stand a chance against a man. Other than the devastation I feel about what he did to you, he didn’t hurt me.”

She was silent for a long time, and I wondered if she was thinking twice about trusting me with her safety. I realized it probably wasn’t the best idea. She’d experienced enough violence in her life, and I’d just added to it. Maybe it didn’t matter to her that I’d only done it to the guy who deserved far worse than I’d given him.

“You went after the man who abused me and beat him up?” she finally asked.

“Yes.”

She tipped her head slightly to one side. “Why?”

The answer was simple. “Because he hurt you.”

Josie didn’t respond.

I continued. “I also did it because I wanted him to know you have someone here for you who isn’t going to stand for him ever coming near you again. But mostly, it was because he hurt you.”

Following an exceptionally long pause, Josie said, “You defended my honor, Huck.”

Relief swept through me. “I did.”

“Nobody has ever done that for me.”

I offered a nod in return. “I know. But that’s never going to be the case from now until forever.”

“Can I hug you again?”

Did she think I would have denied her that? I reached out to her, helping her ease her body up from the mattress.

Then I folded her in my arms and held on, hoping she was getting whatever she needed from my embrace and knowing there wouldn’t ever be a time when I wouldn’t want to give her that.

ELEVEN

Josie

“How dare you?”

An unwelcome shiver ran down my spine. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I won’t leave. I promise I won’t leave. Just, don’t do this.”

I was begging, pleading. I never wanted to be that woman, but I’d reached my breaking point, and I was willing to do anything to avoid another altercation.

This was terrifying. How had I wound up back here? When would I learn?