Page 52 of Escape

That was exactly the reason.

Fortunately, I hadn’t been required to stay any longer than the doctor had initially guessed I’d need to stay. All the results of the testing he’d done with regard to the concussion I’d suffered had been what he wanted to see. The progress was all in the right direction. Obviously, my ribs still ached—would for quite some time—and my shoulder was still slightly tender, so I’d need to take things easy for a while.

But the moment I’d stepped outside of the hospital with Huck, it felt like taking a breath of fresh air.

Returning his smile, I gave him a nod. “I’m finally free.”

“In more ways than one,” he countered.

The moment he said it, I realized he wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t just free from the confines of the hospital, but I was no longer under Kurt’s thumb. This was my chance to start over, and I was beyond ready for it.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Ready?” he asked.

A wave of enthusiasm moved through me. “I am.”

With my confirmation in hand, Huck focused his attention forward again and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. And every mile he drove away from the hospital toward his home felt like I was getting closer and closer to a new life.

Granted, I understood this was only a temporary solution—I couldn’t expect Huck to keep me at his place forever—but I was grateful I even had this option. For far too long, I’d been living in such a state of despair and hopelessness that it was nice to feel like I finally had the chance to start over. I didn’t doubt Huck’s willingness to be by my side as I made that happen.

I was so lost in my thoughts about what the future held for me that before I knew it, we’d arrived at Huck’s home. We’d only just turned into his driveway, and it already felt like the best thing I’d ever experienced in my life.

Huck pulled into the garage, turned off his truck, and said, “Hang tight while I come around to help you out.”

“Okay,” I replied.

The last thing I wanted to do was feel entirely helpless, but the reality was that certain movements were painful, and I didn’t want to risk falling or injuring myself worse than I already was. If any of my plans for my future stood a chance of becoming reality, I had to be smart.

For the sake of my pride, I’d tried doing it another way before, and it hadn’t gotten me anywhere good. It was time to accept the help of someone I trusted, even if it meant waiting inside the truck, so he could come around and open my door for me.

Holding on to his hand, I eased myself out of the truck before Huck led me inside. As soon as my foot stepped over the threshold, something came over me.

I was here.

I was with Huck.

And I was in a safe place.

Sure, I’d be happy to get the grand tour and see his house, but the truth was that none of the details mattered. I didn’t care how he decorated, if he was messy, or whether he had huge flat-screen televisions. The only thing that mattered was that I knew I was in a place where I’d no longer have to be fearful. I’d never have to worry that someone was going to come home from work feeling angry and find a way to take it out on me.

The realization hit me hard, like a blow to my body, forcing me to stumble back into Huck.

“Whoa. Are you okay?” he asked, his hands coming to rest gently on the caps of each of my shoulders.

I twisted my neck slightly, looked back at him, and whispered, “I’m safe.”

Understanding dawned on his features. “Yes, honey, you’re safe.”

“You’re not going to come home from work feeling frustrated about your day and take it out on me,” I declared.

His jaw clenched. Evidently, my need to share wasn’t doing all that much to help Huck, even if getting it all out was helping me. “No, Josie. That is never going to happen. And as long as you’re here, you’re always going to be safe. I would never lay my hands on you in anger.”

“Do you know how that feels? I don’t know what to do, Huck. I’ve felt so unsafe for so long,” I rasped, my throat painfully tight.

Huck turned me in his arms, lifted one hand to the side of my face, and threaded his fingers through my hair. His eyes watched his fingers until they made it to the end of my strands before he returned his attention to my face and said, “I’d be lying if I said I understood precisely how you were feeling. I don’t know. But I can imagine it’s a lot to digest. On the bright side, as new as the feeling is for you, at least it’s a good thing.”

Nodding slowly, I advised, “I might need some time to come to grips with this.”