Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

Sloan heard the door close behind Rhett and finally allowed the sobs to break loose from her chest. Her father had tried to kill Rhett, tried to kill her, threatened and intimidated her, had never stopped manipulating her and her life.

Worst of all, she’d pushed Rhett away when she wanted to cling to him and let him make everything better, kiss away all the pain, strengthen her. She was so weak.

She fell to the rug and prayed until her knees were sore and she still had no answers or strength of her own. The overwhelming feeling she had was to call Kathy and trust Rhett.

Turning on the tub, she watched the warm water fill and then stripped off her dirty clothes and soaked until the water turned cold.

She forced her aching and despondent body out of the tub, dried off, slid into some pajamas and into bed, but sleep didn’t come. She curled onto her side and thought of Rhett’s words and the intensity in his blue eyes.

You are brave.

You are loved.

A beautiful woman of faith.

My family will love and support you.

You aren’t alone.

Your dad isn’t controlling you.

He stands no chance against us.

You’ve got me.

You’ve got your Savior.

Could all of that be true? She’d never trusted or loved a man like she did Rhett. She wanted everything he said to be true, but she had to make the leap of faith and trust in Jesus, trust in herself, and trust in Rhett. Push her father’s control far from her mind and not bow to him ever again.

Her tears wet her pillow. Would they ever dry up?

Could she put her fear behind her and be truly brave? What if her father found a way to hurt Rhett? Even from prison, she knew he could.

She buried her head in her pillow. She didn’t know what to do.

Her phone rang and her heart leapt. Rhett? Through bleary eyes she made her way to the table and fished her phone out.

Kathy.

Her heart clenched. Kathy could never have done what her father said but still there was the niggling doubts. Her father wanted her to doubt herself, her best friend, Rhett, and the Savior. Her father only wanted her to need him.

She slid the phone on. “Kathy?” she croaked out.

“What’s wrong?” Kathy demanded.

“Everything.” She started crying again and hated how weak she was.

“I’m here. It’s okay. Let’s pray together.” Kathy started praying. Sloan didn’t even register most of the words but calm and peace filled her.

When they said amen, she murmured, “Thank you.”

“Now talk. Please.”

“Kathy … my dad claimed you were his informant all these years.”

“What?” Kathy exploded. “How dare that lily-livered snake claim that. You didn’t believe him?”

“I didn’t.” Sloan straightened to her full height and clung to the phone. The answer had been instinctive and she realized it was true. She hadn’t believed him about Kathy. Could everything else be lies? “I didn’t,” she repeated, feeling stronger than she had in hours.

“Thank heaven above. I love you, Sloan. You’re my sister.”

“I love you too.”

“Now tell me the entire story. You saw your dad?”

Sloan started talking.

As Kathy yelled, moaned, groaned, and listened to her, she felt even more strengthened. Her dad was a lying manipulator. She knew that. She had to muddle out the truth and where her strength was. If she could … could she run for Rhett?