Only Her Smokejumper Firefighter - Cami Checketts Page 0,48

Bruce died. No, he’d said he “almost” killed him. She wrung her hands together, studying Ren silently. She felt small and scared.

“I tackled him, pushed his shelter over him, and then knew I had to get in mine or I’d die.” He kept walking. “I broke his leg when I tackled him. We both survived, but his leg got burned because he couldn’t control his foot and pin down that edge of the shelter. He had to tuck it under his knee and thigh.”

Mavyn winced. Even someone as awful as Bruce didn’t deserve to go through that.

“After the fire passed, my medic got to us quick and he did what he could to help Bruce, putting a tourniquet on the leg, treating his burns, giving him morphine …” He pushed a hand at his hair. “He wanted me to talk to him, wanted to know about my ‘girl.’” He paused in his pacing and looked at her, looked at her deeply.

Mavyn put a hand to her throat. She’d felt the Lord’s hand in her life and lately she’d acknowledged it, but this story sounded like it was inspired by purgatory, not heaven.

“He kept asking me specific questions and then he described you and said your name.”

Mavyn’s heart raced out of control. What had Bruce told him? She should’ve come clean about the way she’d been with Bruce. She’d known it even as she lied, but there was no changing it now.

“He started saying …” Ren swallowed and said in a gravelly voice, “Crude things about you and how he’d been with you multiple times and …” He looked out his window and admitted, “I flew at him, clamped my hands around his neck, and would’ve killed him if some higher power hadn’t stopped me.” He pushed at his hair again. “My men couldn’t stop me. My base manager isn’t thrilled, but unless Bruce presses charges, there won’t be disciplinary action because of my clean record.”

Mavyn was grateful for that, but she felt like she was hyperventilating. She hated thinking about the way she’d been with Bruce. What had he told Ren? What did Ren believe? Obviously, it had upset him enough to try to kill Bruce, but was that partly because he believed Mavyn was innocent?

Ren paced to her and dropped to his knees in front of her, startling her yet again. He clasped both of her cold hands in his warm ones. “Mave …” His voice got low and gravelly. “Did he take advantage of you … multiple times?”

Mavyn’s breath shortened and she panted through the next few breaths. Ren’s blue eyes were intent on her face and softer than they’d been. Of course he was protective of her and thought Bruce had taken advantage of her. She’d told him that Bruce had. If only she hadn’t lied. Would he have been disgusted with her and turned away from her if she’d told the truth yesterday? She didn’t think so now, but it was always easier in retrospect to think you should’ve done the right thing. Now it was time to come clean and it wasn’t going to go well. Her hands trembled in his and her body ached.

“I …” She licked her lips as he gave her an encouraging look. “I lied to you, Ren.”

“What?” He rocked back on his heels and released her hands, staring at her as if he didn’t know who she was.

Mavyn couldn’t face him right now. She stood and rushed around him, walking close to one of the large windows and front door where her purse rested on a side table. She could escape quickly if she needed to. She knew Ren would never hurt her, but he was going to be upset. Who could blame him?

He stood and turned to face her. “Lied about what?” he asked in a deceptively quiet voice.

“Bruce never raped me.”

His eyes widened but he stood as if frozen, every muscle in his arms, neck, and shoulders flexed as if to protect himself.

She swallowed hard and couldn’t meet his eyes. “I was definitely willing and it did happen multiple times before I became pregnant. Dozens of times. I kept meeting with Pastor Johnston to try to stop and then every night I’d … be with Bruce again.”

Silence descended in the room. Mavyn studied the floor. She should probably apologize for lying to him or make excuses based on her being young and having been ditched by her dad, her mom checking out, and her craving love, but the