the best care, and I would have gladly traded my happiness for his health.” She looked up at me, fresh tears staining her cheeks. “I found out from a complete stranger that my father had passed away. Jase never told me, because I think he knew that was my only reason for staying with him.”
“So he just let you go?” I wondered why they were even still married if that was the case.
“No,” she said without hesitation. “He’d never let me go willingly. He always told me that I would never leave him, that he would never allow it.”
This asshole sounded like a real piece of work.
“The woman I met, the one that told me of my father’s death, she helped me. Without her and the help of a long list of others, I would still be trapped, because half the law enforcement in Miami are on Jase and his father’s payroll. They made it next to impossible for me to escape.” She sat silently for a moment, and I wondered if I should say something, even though I honestly had no idea what to say. This was all so fucked up.
“That’s why I lied, why I didn’t tell you about Jase, and why I used a false identity. Because I can’t let them find me. I can’t go back there.”
I leaned in and wrapped her in my arms, pulling her body to mine. She didn’t fight it and seemed to welcome the comfort.
We remained in that position for a long time before either of us attempted to move. Finally I pulled back and took her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me when I spoke. “Don’t ever lie to me again,” I said sternly. “I don’t care what it is, or whether you believe it will make me angry or hurt me. You tell me nothing but the truth.”
She nodded immediately. “I used to be confident, and strong,” she confessed in an ashamed whisper. “I wasn’t always this weak. I spend every day scared, terrified actually, that Jase will find me.”
“That doesn’t make you weak, sweetheart,” I tried to reassure her.
“Yes it does. I never stood up for myself. I just took it. I let him control me, and in the process I also let him destroy me.”
The most amazing thing about Kinsley was that even though she’d been through hell and back, she still remained in control of her emotions. I rarely saw her cry. She got angry and heartbroken, but even during those times, she remained strong.
“Let me give you back the things he took, the woman you once were. I want to help you find the strength I know is inside of you, and I want to help you fight to find the Kinsley hidden down deep.”
KINSLEY
“LET ME LOVE YOU, KINSLEY,” Ashton whispered.
I never thought I would hear those words from him after the way he left things between us only days ago.
“Let me protect you and take that fear away.” The way he was looking at me made my heart feel as if it may burst. No one had ever looked at me with such love and kindness. My chest ached with the consuming intensity of his stare.
I wanted to believe Ash could do those things. But I was also terrified of the outcome. If Jase or Bruce harmed Ashton in any way, it would be my fault because I’d placed him in the center of my mess.
He didn’t deserve that.
“I think you should—”
He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. It was a gentle kiss, but powerful enough to make me momentarily speechless.
“Let’s talk more tonight,” he said as he stood from the chair and lifted me from the floor in the process. “I’ll be here at five to pick you up. We have a lot to discuss.”
He didn’t even give me time to answer before he sat me down, took out his phone, and began typing out a message, I presumed to Murray. He then looked up and scanned over my face with a skeptical expression. “Maybe you should take the remaining part of the day off. You look exhausted.”
Again I attempted to argue only for him to shush me as he moved toward my office door and opened it. I followed him as he moved down the hall in search of something.
“What are you doing?” I asked, looking around, hoping we hadn’t attracted too much attention.
“I’m looking for Mrs. Stockman,” he said as if I should have already