Destroy For Her - R.B. Hilliard Page 0,11

holding her daughter’s hand, she lost it. It had always been him. That she’d tried to make it not was just stupid crazy. God, how she’d missed him. She told herself she didn’t, convinced herself that she was better off without him in her life and that she could move on and forget him, but it was all lies. This, among other things, was what she thought about on the drive to The Cave.

The Cave was another name for the Steele Raiders’ clubhouse. It was a nickname derived from the surrounding bat caves. Austin was famous for its bat caves, several of which were found on the club’s land. The clubhouse was gorgeous on the outside, but not so much on the inside. In truth, it was kind of a dump. She wished she hadn’t sold her house because she would much rather be there. On second thought, when Carlos came for them—and there was no doubt in her mind that he would come for them—she would rather have the club’s protection. If that meant staying at The Cave, then she would just have to grin and bear it. Just thinking of that man made her break into a cold sweat. Embarrassed didn’t even begin to describe what she was feeling. Try humiliated, or better yet, broken. Gibbs had crushed her spirit, but Carlos had broken it.

The thought of telling Alex what Carlos had done to her, made her sick to her stomach. She thought of Dr. Harvey, how he kept asking her if she’d been sexually violated, and tried not to cringe. Had she been violated? The entire relationship felt like a violation.

“You okay?” Alex asked.

The weight of his gaze bore through her. She was so far from okay, it wasn’t even funny. Her eyes dropped to his hands. They were masculine, sexy hands—then again, everything about him was masculine and sexy. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was angry at her for leaving—if he’d missed her. Probably not.

“After we get settled, I need to speak to you,” she announced loudly enough for the entire car—namely Steele—to hear.

Steele stared at her through the rearview mirror. “How about we get you fed and let you rest for a bit first.”

“I would rather talk first, that way, I’ll be able to rest after,” she countered.

“That works, too,” he said.

She let out a quiet sigh and slowly relaxed her weight against Alex’s side while listening to Petal chatter with Steele and Doc.

Alex gently nudged her. “You didn’t answer my question.”

What was his question? Oh, yeah, he wants to know if I’m okay. “I’m fine,” she lied.

“No, you’re not, but you will be.”

He was wrong. For some reason, she felt an overwhelming need to tell him this. She tilted her head up at the same time his tilted down. Their eyes met. She’d missed those eyes. In a quiet but serious voice, she said, “You’re right, I’m not okay. I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again.”

Chapter Five

SAGE WAS CAUGHT, ensnared by Alex’s magnetic blue eyes—eyes that lit her up, yet at the same time shredded her. He gave her a knowing smile and her stupid heart went pitter-patter inside her chest. This was the reason she’d left. All he had to do was look at her and she was his. Only, she wasn’t his because he didn’t want her.

“You’re gonna be okay because I’m gonna make you okay,” he declared.

A bubble of laughter crept up her throat. Crazy man. Leave it to him to think he could fix her. Humor turned to sadness as she thought of Petal. She’ll need his strength when I’m gone.

A few minutes later, they pulled onto the drive leading up to The Cave. Excitement stirred inside her when she saw the large, spiked gates looming in front of them. She honestly thought she’d never see this place again.

Steele pulled to a stop beside the guard station and lowered his window. One of the new prospects was manning the front gate. She couldn’t remember his name.

“How long have you been here?” Steele asked.

“Not long, maybe an hour,” the prospect replied.

“Call Tiny. Tell him I want two men on the gate until further notice.”

The Cave was originally a house built in the 1900s by one of Steele and Alex’s ancestors. What started as a one-story farmhouse eventually morphed into a three-story clubhouse. It was surrounded by acres of land. Over dinner one night, Alex shared the history of the place. He told her how it had gone from