Chapter 37

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Ainsley stood next to the kitchen sink, staring out the window, lost in thought. She didn’t hear Dare approach, but she felt his presence the moment before his arms wrapped around her waist. His embrace was warm and secure, and she closed her eyes as a smile curled her lips.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured against her temple, planting a soft kiss there. “How did you sleep?”

“I think you know the answer to that,” Ainsley retorted, a teasing lilt to her voice. “Someone kept me up way too late.”

“Hmm…” Dare made a little humming sound as he dropped his head and kissed her collarbone. “I think he might have to do it again tonight.”

When she’d slipped out of bed earlier, leaving Dare peacefully asleep, she’d worried briefly about how he would act around her today. Her fears, apparently, were unfounded.

There was no awkwardness between them, despite the deepening intimacy. She was growing closer to him every day, trusting him not just with her life, but with her heart. She had never felt so comfortable with a man before. Dare accepted her completely, and she loved him for it.

The thought terrified her. She couldn’t fall for a man she’d just met—not even a man like Dare. No matter how amazing he was. No one fell in love that quickly.

Except… She was. She’d never felt this way about Joel, and she’d spent years with him. Being with Dare was different. Exhilarating. Not that she would ever admit as much to him. Their relationship was still new, still fresh, and she wanted to savor this newfound joy before rushing to declare her feelings.

Together, they moved to the kitchen table, coffee mugs in hand. Sarge settled at their feet with a contented sigh, and Ainsley reached down to rub between his ears. She smiled when the dog flipped to his back, silently commanding her to rub his belly.

Dare tipped his head at the dog. “Do that and you’ll be his slave for life.”

Ainsley couldn’t help but smile. “He’s growing on me.”

He gave a slow nod. “So you wouldn’t be opposed to having him around all the time?”

Her heart gave a hard thump at his implication. Was he asking her to stay here, in the house? She’d made the mistake of moving too quickly once before. But this was different—Dare was different. Her family was close by, and she knew he would never pressure her into anything she didn’t want.

He watched her intently, his gaze never wavering, and Ainsley felt heat sweep up her cheeks. “Maybe.”

Dare stared at her for another second before speaking “Maybe we should go to the bar this weekend and pick up your things.”

It was a practical suggestion, but she loved what it implied. He wanted to be there to support her, to keep her safe. She blushed, a smile spreading across her face. “That would be great, thanks.”

He squeezed her hand gently. “I need to ask you something.”

Immediately, her smile slipped away. Before the words left his mouth, she knew what he was going to ask. “The man who broke into the suite last night. Did you get a look at him?”

Ainsley blew out a breath. He hadn’t pressed her last night, for which she was grateful, but she knew he needed details now that her mind was clear. “No. I was asleep when I heard the door unlock. At first I wasn’t sure what it was. But when I heard the footsteps, I slid under the bed. He was dressed all in black, but I couldn’t make out anything else.”

“How about his build? Was there anything that stood out?”

“Not really.” She shook her head. “He was about average height. Not too thin, but not overweight, either.”

He didn’t look pleased by this information, and she swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I?—”

“Don’t be sorry.” He laced his fingers with hers. “I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.” He paused briefly. “Do you think it was Joel?”

She’d had the exact same thought. Goosebumps raced over her skin. “Who else could it have been?”

Dare was silent for nearly a full minute. “When did it start?”

Ainsley didn’t pretend to misunderstand him. She lifted one shoulder. “I’m not even sure. When he took he position in Minneapolis and convinced me to go with him, it kind of cut me off from all my friends and family. He told me not to worry about school or work, that he would take care of everything so I had a chance to settle in. At first it wasn’t so bad. Then, little by little, things shifted.”

She swallowed down the bile in her throat at the memory. “I don’t even know what our first real fight was about. I was so shocked when he slapped me that I couldn’t even believe it. He begged me to forgive him, brought home roses later as an apology. I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t have anywhere else to go and…”

She shrugged. “I kind of just let it slide. It got better for a little while and I thought maybe he’d just been stressed out from our argument. But after a month or two, things just got worse.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

She twisted the hem of her shirt between her fingers. She felt so stupid. “I… I made a mistake.”

She hesitated, the words caught in her throat. But she knew she couldn’t keep it inside any longer. “I lost access to my bank account.”

Dare’s brow furrowed with concern. “What do you mean?”

Ainsley looked down at her hands, ashamed. “I let my computer save my passwords. Joel... He used them to log in and changed everything. He locked me out of my own account.”

Dare’s jaw tightened. “Have you contacted the bank?”

“I tried.” She shook her head, shame flooding her. “They said I need to come in person with identification, but… I don’t even know if my ID is valid anymore. He took that, too.”

Dare scooted his chair closer and wrapped one hand around the back of her neck. “We’ll get your money back. I promise.”

She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “I lied… About my car. It wasn’t broken down. He took my keys so I couldn’t leave. The only phone I had was a landline, so he’d know I was home if he called to check in.”

She drew in a shaky breath. “He gave me permission to leave the house once a week to get groceries. He would leave the car keys and cell phone when he left for work and check the mileage when he got home. I… I thought about leaving once, but… he had trackers on both of them. He always knew if I went somewhere I wasn’t supposed to.”

She felt Dare’s muscles bunch and tense against her and she knew he was desperately trying to keep himself under control. She continued, needing him to understand. “I knew I had to get out, so I started planning. There was a small resale shop across the street from the plaza where I got groceries. So… Once a month, I would drop off some items while I shopped. I would walk over once I was done, pick up whatever money they offered, and I stashed it away.”

He rubbed a hand over his face before clearing his throat. His mouth opened several times as if to say something, but each time he pressed his lips into a firm line before any words could escape.

Ainsley laid a hand on his. “What matters is, I got out. And I’m here now.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, forehead resting on hers. “You’re so strong, sweetheart. So brave. But now you have me. I promise he won’t hurt you ever again. And, Ainsley… You can always count on me if you ever need anything.”

She bit her lip, trying to stay composed. “I know. I just... I didn’t know what to do. He controlled everything. My money, my freedom. I can’t ever go through that again.”

His hold on her tightened a fraction. “You’ll never have to worry about that again. You have an amazing support system: Your family, friends… Me. You’re safe here, and I’m going to make damn sure Joel won’t hurt you ever again.”

Her heart swelled with gratitude. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I feel… better here. Safer,” she admitted.

“I’ll be here every step of the way.” She nodded, and he cupped her face in his hand. “You’re stronger than you think, Ainsley. You’ll get through this.”

For the first time in years, she truly believed that.