Chapter 33

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Dare burst out of the house, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of the intruder. The moonlight cast long shadows across the lawn, but the figure had already vanished into the foggy night. Sarge was a blur of motion as he bolted toward the lake at full speed.

He didn’t hesitate as he sprinted after the dog, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He caught up to Sarge at the edge of the lake where he had his nose to the ground, sniffing fervently. A low growl rumbled from his chest, the hair on his back bristling.

Dare’s gaze followed the dog’s lead, sweeping the area. There was no one in sight—no sign of the man who had broken into Ainsley’s suite.

Goddamn it.

Dare gazed out over the lake, and his eyes narrowed as he fought to see through the dense fog. Was that a boat? The ripples in the water suggested recent movement, and Dare could only assume the intruder had made his escape by boat. Frustration gnawed at him; there was no way he could catch up to the man now.

“Sarge, heel,” Dare called softly, his voice tense. The dog lifted his head, ears perked, and after one last growl at the water’s edge, trotted obediently back to Dare’s side.

Sarge on his heels, Dare cautiously climbed the stairs to Ainsley’s suite and cleared the small space. He locked up behind him then headed back toward the house. A glint of metal flittered in the beam of light, and he noticed Ainsley’s keys lying on the ground. He scooped them up and pocketed them to return to her, then turned his attention back to the darkness surrounding him.

Just to be certain the man wasn’t hanging around, Dare swept his flashlight over the yard as he circled the house. He paused on the front porch, eyes straining as he gazed out over the driveway. He was certain the intruder had arrived by way of the lake, but he couldn’t be too careful.

Digging his keys out of his pocket, Dare unlocked the front door then stepped inside, locking up once more behind Sarge. The dog plopped down on the rug and stared up at him, expectantly. Dare brushed a hand over his head, then strode down the hallway toward the kitchen.

Ainsley stood near the sink, staring out the window, her back to him. The soles of his wet boots squeaked softly on the tile floor as he stepped into the kitchen, and she spun around at the sound.

Her face went as white as a sheet, and the shattering of glass filled the air as the cup she’d been holding hit the ground at her feet. Water splashed up over her bare legs, but she didn’t seem to notice. Her eyes flew wide with terror at the sight of him and for a second she froze. Then she bolted.

She made a break to her left, attempting to round the kitchen island. “Ainsley!”

He called out to her, trying to break through her haze of fear. Sarge, not to be outdone, gave a loud bark as he bolted forward to cut her off. A bloodcurdling scream rent the air as Ainsley skidded to a stop and tried to reverse directions.

“Halt!” He called the dog off, though he wasn’t entirely sure who he was yelling at—her or the dog. Sarge froze and Dare darted toward her, desperate to catch her before she cut her feet on the broken glass.

“Ainsley!” He placed himself in front of her but she fought him off, smacking at his hands as he reached for her. “Ainsley, you’re okay. Everything’s okay.”

His arms closed around her, but she continued to wiggle out of his grasp and away from the dog. “Ainsley.”

She shook her head violently, his voice not fully penetrating the fog of fear. He kept talking to her, trying to get her to focus on him. “Ainsley. Look at me.”

He grasped her biceps lightly, and her hands came up to cover her face as a sob caught in her throat. His heart twisted in his chest as the sight of her, so visibly shaken. He wanted to help her, but she refused to let him in. She’d kept her walls up, guarding her heart and withholding the truth of the past.

He’d hoped she would come to trust him, but it seemed that every time they took one step forward, she took two steps back. Well, he was done waiting. He couldn’t bear to see her like this. He took control then, gathering her into his arms. “I’ve got you.”

He intended to lift her up onto the counter where she would be away from the dog and unable to run. Instead, her arms wrapped around him as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She clung to him, body trembling, and he clutched her tightly. “You’re okay, honey. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

For what felt like forever he held her, one arm under her legs, the other banded around her back, holding her close. His leg began to ache, and he winced against the pain. Dare turned toward the counter, but when he moved to set her down, she clung more tightly to him.

“He’s gone,” he whispered against her hair. “No one’s going to hurt you.”

He settled her on the counter but didn’t release her. She didn’t cry; she just shook uncontrollably, remnants of fear coursing through her.

Fury billowed up inside him. Though he and Sarge had gone after the man, it was as if he’d disappeared into thin air. Despite the fact that he’d seen no sign of the man, Dare knew she hadn’t made it up. It had scared her too badly to be a figment of her imagination. The way she’d screamed for him...

His blood turned to ice as goosebumps sprouted over his skin. He’d never forget that as long as he lived. His arms tightened a fraction, pulling her even closer. He wanted to shelter her from whatever—whoever—was after her.

He needed to check the security cameras, but he didn’t dare let go of her. More than he wanted to find the guy, he wanted to hold and comfort her. Whoever it was had gotten away, and the cams probably wouldn’t reveal much anyway. Taking care of the woman in his arms was far more important; Ainsley needed this.

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” He smoothed one hand over her back. “I promise.”

She had gradually begun to relax, and now she nodded against his chest. Her arms were still wound tightly around his neck, and her muscles loosened by degrees until she finally peeled herself away from him.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice small as she stared at his chest, unwilling to look at him.

“Hey.” He hooked a knuckle under her chin and gently lifted her gaze to his. “Don’t ever apologize for coming to me. I’ll always help you, no matter what you need or what time it is. You call for me, I’ll be there. Got it?”

She gave a little nod, her expression conflicted. He barely resisted the urge to pull her back into his arms and cuddle her close. Her reaction to the dog was far worse than he’d suspected, and he needed to get to the bottom of it.

“You’re really terrified of dogs, aren’t you?” She bit her lip and gave a tiny nod. He studied her for another long moment before speaking. “Did something happen?”

She blinked rapidly, and he braced himself for whatever half truth she was going to offer this time.

Finally, she nodded. “I was... attacked.” She swallowed hard. “I never had a problem with dogs until then, but…”

A shudder racked her body. “It was a German Shepherd, too. Just like him.”

She pointed at Sarge without looking his way. “He... he grabbed me here.” She grasped her left bicep and closed her eyes, as if trying to shut out the memory. “He was put down afterward.”

Emotion played over her face, and he watched her carefully. “Can I see?”

She hesitated, then nodded. Ever so slowly he inched up the sleeve of her tee shirt. Just below the more recent gunshot wound, an older scar was just barely visible. Had he not been looking for it, he never would have noticed. Whoever had performed the surgery to correct it had done a good job.

He swept his thumb over it lightly, and she trembled against him. “I’m sorry that happened to you. Not everyone trains their dogs properly.”

Her eyes opened then, sad and liquid soft. “No, they don’t,” she whispered.

She looked so devastatingly heartbroken that he ached to pull her to him. But he’d pushed her enough for one night. “I checked your place before I came back to the house. If you want to go back?—”

She was already shaking her head before he’d finished the sentence. “No. I…”

She broke off, teeth sinking into her lower lip, and he nodded. “I think it would be better if you stay here tonight. Okay?”

She nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” He wrapped his hands around her torso so he could lower her to the ground, but her flinch stopped him cold. “Shit, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No, it’s just... still healing.”

He nodded. “Mind if I look?”

She nodded and turned slightly so her back was toward him. He lifted the hem of her shirt, exposing her lower back. The bruises that covered the silken flesh had begun to yellow. Glad she couldn’t see him, he shook his head. According to her, it had been nearly a month since she’d left.

Bile rose up his throat at the sight. He couldn’t imagine the abuse she’d endured if they were just now starting to heal. He reached out and traced his fingers lightly around the perimeter of one bruise. She tensed ever so slightly but didn’t pull away from him. He flattened his palm and coasted it over her back in a slow, comforting sweep.

Her skin was so soft, so delicate. Her body was still just a little too slender, but she was finally beginning to fill out, her waist and hips curving beautifully under his palm. He trailed his fingers down her vertebrae, tracing each bump and marveling at her inner strength. He wished with every fiber of his being that he could hunt down Parsons and give him a dose of his own medicine.

Realizing how intimately he’d been touching her, he allowed his fingers to slide down to the curve of her hip. She seemed to enjoy his touch, leaning slightly into him though he couldn’t see her face. Part of him wanted to swivel her around, take her face in his hands and kiss her. But he knew it was too soon. He settled for sliding his hands around her hips and lifting her against his chest.

She sucked in a breath and looped her arms around his shoulders as he carried her away from the broken glass on the floor. Only when they were far away did he put her down, allowing her to slide slowly down his body. He settled her on the bottom step, then toed off his boots so he wouldn’t drag glass through the house.

He gently patted her hip. “Wait here.”

He strode back to the kitchen then whistled for Sarge, directing him around the broken glass. Once the dog was settled in the living room, Dare returned to Ainsley. Her brows drew low, and she wrung her hands together. “I’m sorry about the glass. I’ll clean it up, I promise?—”

Dare gently took her hands in his own, stalling her nervous flow of words. “I’ll take care of it.”

“But…”

Her obvious distress tore at his heart. How many times had she been punished for accidents like the one that had just happened? “Ainsley.”

Her tortured gaze met his, and he stared at her for a moment before speaking. “Promise me you won’t go back in the kitchen until it’s cleaned up.” Her mouth parted, and he squeezed her hands the tiniest bit. “Please. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She blinked rapidly, obviously unsure how to react. The way she bit her lip and studied him like she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop infuriated him. This woman deserved so much her than what she’d dealt with in the past.

He placed a foot on the step next to hers, bringing them closer together. Her eyes widened slightly as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I know you don’t trust me. But I’m going to change that.”

Her lips parted, but nothing came out. The silence stretched between them for several long moments, fraught with tension. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but they’d been through enough tonight.

There would be plenty of time to discuss everything tomorrow.