Page 42 of Reins

Her lips thin and she sets her half-empty plate down. “No.” Abruptly, she stands and carries her cup to the coffee pot.

As little as she pours in, I know she’s doing it for something to busy herself.

I know that response to bad memories. I’ve done it my whole life.

“Ros, you don’t have to tell me anything you aren’t comfortable with.” I push my own cleaned dish aside to lean my elbows on my knees. “You were a kid. Nothing you did was your fault.” Even though I have a feeling someone told her it was. “Was it your dad?”

I hated that guy before.

It takes me aback when she shakes her head. “My mom used to whip me when I misbehaved.”

Hard enough that Ava needed to tend to the wounds?

My heart races with the anger coursing through me.

“I got in trouble a lot,” Rosalyn whispers. “It wasn’t so bad before Ava died. I could almost stand it because I knew she’d be there to tell me silly stories afterwards.” Her chin trembles. “But after she was gone, Mama took it out on me even worse.” She firms her jaw, hugging the mug between her shaking palms. “You’re gonna think I’m a monster.” She takes a ragged breath. “I wasn’t sad when her and Papa crashed.”

A knot fills my throat making it impossible to swallow while my hands clench on my thighs. “Ros, she should have never done that.”

I wish I could pull her into my arms and hold her tightly. Offer some sort of comfort for the pain she’s endured.

“They were the monsters.” Flattening my palms on my legs isn’t quite the same, but it’s the safe choice.

She folds herself back into her chair, refocusing on the marks that mar my arm. “At first I thought that things were better with Eli and John since they didn’t beat me. But I guess some wounds don’t exactly sit on the surface.” Her lips twist before they purse over the edge of the cup.

Then her pale eyes raise to mine. “I’m glad I’m here. I’ve never had anyone listen before.”

“I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t make me cranky hearing that they hurt you.” I try to take a deep breath to even the fiery rage festering in my gut. “I’m just glad that after today, you never have to go back.”

The corner of her mouth lifts into the first glimmer of a smile I’ve seen today. “Me too.”

Chapter 23 - Rosalyn

The SUV is certainly more lavish than his truck, but it also doesn’t feel like him. I’m not complaining about the seat warmers under the leather covering, not when it’s flirting with zero degrees outside.

Cade’s knuckles turn white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly when he makes the turn into the parking lot of the bar.

“I’ll leave it running so you stay warm.” He pauses to let out a long breath, then pushes his Stetson lower over his eyes. “Be right back,” he grunts, then swings his door wide with a rush of cold air.

I slide down, wrapping my coat tighter under my nose to watch him.

He barely makes it across the parking lot before he’s stopped by a young, lanky guy wearing a baseball hat coming outside.

After a very brief exchange, he strides towards me quickly and hops in.

He looks like he’s seen a ghost. Who was the other man?

“Is everything okay?” A piece of me wants to reach out to comfort him. Maybe get rid of the furrow that’s trenched between his brows?

“That was my nephew, Sawyer.” Cade shifts us into drive and spins the tires in his hurry to leave.

I rise, swiveling in my seat to see if I can catch another glimpse of the guy, but he’s gone. “Why didn’t you stay?”

His breathing is rapid until we’re back on the road. “I didn’t expect him to be there. I ain’t ready yet, I want to talk to Mason first.” He pushes up the brim of his hat to squeeze his temples, then drops his palm to the shifter. “He looks just like his daddy, but with Caroline’s eyes. And I saw the look. Mason gets the same expression when he doesn’t like someone.”

This time I can’t stop myself from resting my fingers on the back of his knuckles.

He twitches, like his instinct is to pull his arm away.