I didn’t tell her and what she’d never know was, the more details she gave, the more fuel she added to the fire raging within.
Ethan gave me a poignant look as he exited Hadley’s hospital room, following the two cops who’d taken her statement.
I knew he was worried and he should’ve been.
I was going to burn those motherfuckers to the ground.
“Brady?”
“Yeah?” I stopped looking at the door and glanced back down at my woman lying in a hospital bed.
Jesus Christ.
“We need to talk about what happened.”
“We will. But first, you need more rest.”
I wanted to rehash what had happened, never. But I’d listen as many times as she needed.
“No, now. Before it builds inside of you.”
“Me?”
“I want you to let this go.”
I carefully blanked my face and nodded. “Okay.”
“You’re lying.”
“Get some rest.”
“Do not lie to me,” she demanded in a low tone.
My pulse started to pound and my temper ignited. “I’m gonna say this as gently as I can, Hadley. But you know I can’t let that stand. Not any of it. Not those two fuckers taking you. Not that cunt taking your clothes off, not those bitches standing around watching, and most especially those goddamn men lining up to look at you. They wanna use God to play their sick fucking games, they’re gonna learn the true meaning of hellfire and brimstone. They’re so keen on worshiping and casting out the devil, I will gladly lead them to their maker. Then they’ll receive their judgment.”
“I’m scared,” she whispered.
“And that right there is why what they did cannot stand.”
“No, Brady. I’m not scared of them. You’re scaring me. I’m scared for you. I’m scared my father, brother, cousins, and uncles will follow you down this dark path. I don’t want that. I don’t want any of you to be taken away from me.”
“I won’t ever—”
“Yes, you will. You go through with whatever you’re planning, you’ll be taken away from me. It won’t matter if you’re never caught and you’re free to go to work, walk the street, drive your truck, come home to me, sleep next to me. You, my Brady, will never be free again. It will haunt you. Which means it will eventually take you from me. I’m begging you, help me heal the only way I can truly get over what happened. Stay with me.”
Hadley reached out, grabbed my arm, and yanked me forward. My other hand shot out and hit the mattress near her hip and I braced.
“You’re gonna hurt yourself.”
“My shoulders were dislocated, not broken.” The reminder felt like a knife to the gut. “I was scared, Brady. I knew I screwed up. I knew what I’d done was stupid. I swear to you, I will never do anything like that again. But hear this. I was scared shitless when I was standing in front of all those people but I knew you’d come. It wasn’t pleasant having my clothes removed but I survived. It was creepy and disgusting having those men line up to look at me, but I survived. I did not want to be baptized into some sick cult, but I survived. Now listen to my words: I survived. What I will not survive, is losing you. You go through with whatever you have planned, you will be lost to me and I will not survive that.”
That knife she’d plunged into my gut twisted.
“Baby,” I rasped brokenly.
“I won’t survive it, Brady.”
Fuck.
My head fell forward and a war waged inside of me.
You will be lost to me and I will not survive that.
Jesus.
The door opened. I heard Emily call out, “We can come back.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“No.” I lifted my head. “Come in.”
“Brady.”
“Your family’s waited long enough, baby. Let them come in.”
“Brady?” Hadley’s hand clamped around my wrist. Her eyes searched mine. But it wasn’t either of those that made me come to a decision.
“You won’t ever lose me,” I told her.
“Promise?”
“Promise, Hadley.”
“You won’t—”
“I won’t,” I confirmed.
“Promise. Promise me. Swear it.”
I moved to cup both her cheeks. Her fingers still wrapped around my wrist meant her arm came up, too, and there were no signs of pain.
“I swear to you. You will never lose me, not in any way. I’m yours forever.”
“Thank you.”
I closed the inches between us and brushed my lips against hers. “I love you, Hadley.”
“Love you.”
“Visit with your mom. I need to talk to your dad.”
A twinkle of fear flashed in her eyes before it disappeared and she nodded.
“Okay.”
She didn’t ask me to promise again. She let me go and turned to