“I’d be pissed if you hadn’t.” Christ, I want to still those nervous hands with my own. “If a man puts his hands on you like that, you either break his nose or take away his ability to have kids. Those are the rules.”
A small smile tugs at her lips, and God help me, I’m tempted to trace it with my thumb, to smooth away the hurt that’s written all over her beautiful face. Instead, I drag out the chair beside her and sit down, close enough that our knees almost touch.
Right now, I don’t know if I should pull her into my arms and promise her she’s safe or hunt down my own son and make sure he never touches her again.
“We were fighting…” She gathers her dark hair into a messy knot, fingers trembling slightly as she pulls the black band from her wrist. “I ended things, and it got bad between us. That’s all there is to it.”
She’s protecting him, even now, even with her face wearing the evidence of his rage. She doesn’t want to tell me the details, and that’s fine—it’s her story to tell when she’s ready. But I’ll be asking Travis because I don’t give a damn what she could’ve said to him. Nothing, absolutely fucking nothing, could justify what he did to her.
“I packed my things earlier. I’ll head to my sister’s tonight, but I’d appreciate a ride.” Her voice is steady, like this is just logistics, and she hasn’t just sucker punched me with those words.
“You’re leaving?”
“Well, yeah… It’s inappropriate for me to stay here after what happened, and I don’t want to risk running into Travis.”She swallows hard, lifting her chin like she’s ready for me to argue. “I’m sorry. I know that leaves you shorthanded up here, but?—”
“I don’t give a shit about that. I just don’t want you thinking you have to go.” I’m damn near begging now, and I don’t even care. “Atleast stay tonight, and I’ll take you to Violet’s myself tomorrow after we close up.”
“What if Travis comes back while you’re out delivering?”
“I have no deliveries tomorrow. I’ll be here all day.” She nods, and when she moves to stand, I’m already rising with her, instinct kicking in like it always does when she’s near.
But as I take her in, the guilt sinks deeper into my bones. I wasn't the one who hurt her, but he's got Crawford blood running through his veins, and his cruelty feels like a stain on everything I tried to teach him about being a man.
“I’m gonna head to bed. I just… I think I need to sleep.”
“You know where I am if you need anything, okay?”
“Thank you, Christian.” She takes a few steps down the hall, then turns back, hands twisting together. “I’m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen.”
I fall silent, every muscle in my body locked down tight.
If I speak, I’ll move. If I move, I’ll cross the room in three strides, and if I cross the room, I’ll kiss her until she forgets every bad thing that’s ever happened to her.
Chapter 13
Piper
The stingof a backhand wasn’t new—my mom always did favor that move. But the way Travis’s hand snapped out, just like hers, dragged up old memories I’d buried deep. For a split second, I could almost see the faded wallpaper of my childhood home and smell the coppery tang of blood that got tangled in my hair.
But I refuse to let anyone make me feel like that small and powerless little girl ever again.
Not Travis.
Not Lorraine.
Nobody.
My face is swollen and tender to the touch, and I don’t need a mirror to know it looks bad. But hell, Travis must look worse. The memory of his nose crunching under my fist shouldn’t feel as rewarding as it does, but karma’s a bitch, and sometimes she throws a hell of a right hook.
Motherfucker—I hope he stays ugly for the rest of his life.
The past few days have brought more drama than my entire life combined, and that’s saying something, considering I grew up with a parent who treated warning labels as suggestions. But breaking Travis’s nose? That’s a whole new level of complicated.
Jesus. I broke his son’s nose.
A laugh bubbles up before I can stop it because watching Travis’s head snap back like that was so worth it.
No regrets here.