Chasing Joshua by Cara North Read Free Book Online Page B

me.” Joshua couldn't believe he was making promises to defend her. She could probably do some real damage to a man because they wouldn't expect it. Just like he didn't expect this.
    Evelyn wrestled with the memories, the loss of control. She had buried her past deep. She made up for her crime as an adult by hunting rapists and murderers and men who abused women and brought them in for justice. Aside from returning a spoiled teenager to a wealthy family, she didn't take sugar coated jobs.
    They were specific. She had saved a lot of money, living meager along the way. Her weapons and gear were the most valuable things she owned. Her car, a black Honda Civic, was common, non-descript, six years old. Hadn't God forgiven her? When would she find peace?
    "Say it, honey. I'm right here, tell me. I promise I'll keep you safe.” Joshua made that commitment too easily even for himself, but he meant it. He wanted to touch her bruised eye but didn't. It made him sick to see a woman with a black eye. It made him furious that he couldn't do anything about it. Not until she let him in.
    "My father.” Evelyn was looking into his eyes. His warm hands held her face up forcing her to do so. Gently though, he was holding her gently.
    He nodded. Waited.
    "When I was eleven, he stabbed my mother. She caught him branding me with his knife. I was naked. He used to ... do stuff, you know. He never raped me exactly, but he made me do stuff.” Her eyes looked down at his chin. His hands slipped free, and she watched his throat swallow hard.
    Joshua locked his jaw. This was tearing him up, piece by piece. He didn't want to hear it, but he had to. Someone had to listen to her.
    "My mother attacked him. She tried to save me.” Evelyn went to another place in her head, a stronger place. “He stabbed her; we watched."
    "We.” Joshua's voice was in a whisper. His hands were over her hands pulling them both into one of his and covering them with the other.
    "My sister Noel was in the closet. We hid her there, so he couldn't touch her. He tried, but I told him I would do it.” Evelyn felt like the world was lifting off her shoulders. Somehow she needed to give this burden to someone else. Joshua was strong. She felt that in his hands; he seemed to want to carry it, like he had been carrying her.
    "Go on.” Joshua didn't know which horror story he wanted to hear least, her mother's murder or her impending abuse.
    "He never wanted us to call him daddy. We called him Blade, except, when he wanted to touch us.” Evelyn drew a deep breath. “So I did it, and I hid Noel in the closet. He never touched her again, at least not while I was there."
    "You left?” Joshua's voice cracked, and he choked back tears. He wanted to be strong for her, but damn, she was killing him. He understood her plight in life; it all made sense.
    She shook her head. “No, he got rid of me. He had to."
    "Why?” Joshua had to know.
    "He made me hold the knife. He made me wipe it on my body. He told me that's what happens to bad girls. Girls who don't listen to Blade. Then he told me if I said a word to anyone, that's what would happen to Noel; that's what would happen to me.” Evelyn was no longer crying. Her secret was out. “He told me to hide the knife. The cops came, and there I was in the backyard, trying to bury a knife, eleven years old, covered in my mother's blood and naked."
    Joshua's teeth were grinding. He couldn't take much more of this. She needed therapy. Hell he might need therapy again after this. Post traumatic stress disorder. He didn't need a license to diagnose it. He had experienced it firsthand, but nowhere near this level.
    Christ, it was amazing she wasn't a criminal or insane. Instead she survived, dedicated her life to justice. Evelyn Blade was an honorable woman, not a killer. Damn, he felt like an ass. No wonder that good girl comment ripped her. He wanted to take a shot at lightening her mood, not throw her into a tailspin.
    Joshua didn't know