Page 67 of Captivated By You
I yanked off our seat belts and pulled her into my arms as close as I could get to her with the console between us. “Shhh…you’re safe.”
“You saved me,” she cried. She shoved her forehead into the crook of my neck and clung to me like she couldn’t breathe without me suffused to her.
I would never complain.
“I was so scared. And he…he…”
“He didn’t do what he wanted.” I tightened my hold on her and pressed my lips to her temple. “I will never let anyone hurt you. Ever. And when you’re ready, we’ll get on this plane, fly to wherever you want to go, and we’ll stay there for as long as you want.”
She trembled in my hold, sniffling and crying. Even her cries sounded like her throat was scratchy and with every sound she made, I fought the overwhelming desire to go back and fucking murder the bastard I hoped was still passed out on that kitchen floor.
I definitely broke his nose. Maybe his cheekbone.
It wasn’t nearly enough.
As soon as Claudia and I could talk, and I found out who he was, I’d destroy him.
“I’m okay,” she whispered. “I’m okay and you saved me.”
If she wasn’t still crying, my chest would have swelled with pride. I hadn’t done anything different than be a decent man, but I liked she thought of me as her savior.
I’d do my damnedest to live up to it.
“Ready to get on the plane?” I asked.
She nodded against my shoulder and pulled back.
When her face was inches from mine, I swiped away her tears with my thumbs, cupping her cheeks in my palms. Then, I leaned forward, slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away from me, but she didn’t. I brushed my lips across hers once, then twice. “I’ll always save you, Claudia.”
She huffed out a hoarse laugh and nodded. “I know.”
Flashing me a timid smile, I brushed away the few remaining, drying tears on her cheeks and dropped my hands from her face.
“Let’s get the hell out of here.”
She climbed out of her seat and I met her at the front of the car. Lifting her hand to her forehead, she scanned the horizon, turning in a slow circle. I gave her time for whatever she was thinking and when she turned back to me, her hand fell and reached for mine.
I took it and squeezed. “I never want to come back here. Ever again. There’s nothing left for me.”
The Real Estate Deed told me that might not be true, but I’d wait for her to talk about it. The prick might not have violated her, but he still assaulted her and terrified her. I knew from what Sophie went through I had to wait until her to want to talk about it.
And none of it would happen until she could speak without sounding like she’d had her throat shredded.
––––––––––
I was on the couch on the airplane, guitar in my lap, my notebook and pen next to me. After we boarded, Claudia told me she wanted to go back to New York, so we were thousands of feet in the air, soaring along the East Coast and words were finally flowing.
My reputation was being restored. My sister had stood up and taken all of her power back, something she thanked me for, actually thanked me for when she clung to me on the stage what felt like a lifetime ago but was just more than twelve hours ago.
And in the bed at the back of the plane, Claudia was sleeping after I had her drink water. I lay with her and held her until she drifted back to sleep and while I didn’t want to tear myself away from her, lyrics and melodies spun in my mind, forcing me out of the bed.
“Captivated By You” was now officially done.
It was my best work yet.
Perhaps that’s what happened when a man realized he’d fallen in love, side-swiped by a beautiful brunette.
Words continued to come, even while I kept one eye on the door to the bedroom, anticipating her waking at any moment.
