“Dawn?” Shepard asks.
“Doesn’t matter. She knows where I am. She’ll come when she’s ready.” I side-step his question, but my words weigh on me. There is never a good time to leave an abusive relationship, never a safe time to run, but staying isn’t an option either. I’d track her down myself if I didn’t think I’d make things worse.
I stomp upstairs, frustrated, and take a shower, scrubbing myself raw before climbing out and drying off. I slip into a short white sundress with a red paisley print before sliding my brown cowboy boots back on. I leave my hair in the braids and make my way back downstairs, where the atmosphere is so tense you could cut it with a knife.
“Hey, Riggs, why don’t you head back out and finish what you were doing? I’m going to check in with Willow, then make some dinner.”
His eyes flit to Shepard before he nods. “You know where I am if you need me.”
“I know.”
He moves to me, so I tip my head back so he can kiss my forehead. Only the motherfucker has to prove a point. He slides his hand around my back and yanks me to him before his mouth covers mine. I open to him instinctively. The man kisses like he was born to do it. As I lose myself in him, flashes of his naked body and what it felt like when he touched me flash through my head. All too soon, he pulls back.
“I won’t be long.” He winks and walks out with the kind of cocky swagger only a man who just kicked another in the balls can do.
“Was that for your benefit or mine?” Shepard huffs from behind me.
“Can we not?”
He sighs and moves up behind me, his hands going to my hips as he presses his lips to my ear. “What am I going to do with you?”
“You could leave me alone?”
He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me. “You don’t think I’ve tried?”
“If you have, you suck at it.”
He sighs before turning me around to face him. “Is he the reason you’re fighting me so hard?”
I stare at him incredulously. “No. I’ve told you why I’m not interested. You just don’t like the truth.”
“You’re forgetting, I’ve tasted you. I know your truth.”
“Oh yeah, and what’s that?”
“You want me. You want me so fucking bad you can barely stand it, but you’re scared.”
“I’ve never wanted to punch someone as much as I do you right now.”
“I find that hard to believe.” He grins as my hand twitches.
The house indicates someone is approaching, which stops me from acting out. With a huff, I shove past him and head for the door. Tugging it open, I see Dawn on the other side, wringing her hands.
She looks up at the open door. The bruising around her eye is worse today, the makeup doing little to hide it. She tugs her sweatshirt to cover her wrists, but not before I see the ring of bruises circling them.
“I’m sorry I’m late. I tried to get away sooner.”
“No, you’re fine. I’ve not had the best morning myself,” I admit, touching the cut on my head.
“What happened?”
“Took a tumble. Nothing to worry about. Come inside, and I’ll grab the cream for you.”
She follows me inside. Before I can take her any further, Shepard steps into the hallway, his eyes landing on Dawn, who cringes back. I step between them to cover her body with mine.
“Excuse me, Sheriff.” I glare at him in warning that he had better keep his mouth shut.
“Dawn. How are you today?”