Outlaw by Nicole James Read Free Book Online Page A

anything but her crying. He
would have preferred her backtalk, or the bravado she had displayed earlier, or
the way she had fought him last night. That he could deal with. But these,
these were real tears. He’d been with so many women that turned on the
waterworks whenever they wanted to get their way, that he’d thought he’d become
immune to a woman’s tears. But this, this was real. And he could tell she hated
exposing this vulnerable soft side to him.
    Shit.
    It didn’t matter how many times he told himself he
didn’t need to get involved with her, or how unaffected he told himself he was.
The truth was, she’d touched something in him. He could be as strong and cold
as the next man, worse when he had to be. But, fuck, this kind of emotional
distress, the kind of hurting that goes all the way to the soul? This he
couldn’t close his eyes to, or turn his back on.
    Cole moved to sit on the bed next to her, and pulled
her into his arms. “Shh. Shh. It’s okay. It’s okay.” He rubbed his hand over
her head, smoothing her hair.
    She fell against his chest, and clung to his cut.
    “Baby, come on. Don’t cry. The worst is over.” He
rocked her.
    She tried to pull herself together, but it felt so
good to be held.
    “Shh. You’re gonna be alright. You understand?
You’re gonna live through this, and you’re gonna get past it.” Her head was
tucked under his chin. “The pain that you’re feelin’, I swear, baby, it won’t
stay.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m not gonna let anything more happen
to you.” He tilted her face up to look in her eyes. “You hear me?”
    She nodded.
    The way she looked at him, it was getting to him. He
knew he needed to distance himself. He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Dry
your eyes.”
    She was clinging to his cut. He reached up with both
hands, and gently pulled her hands away.
    She looked up at him with big eyes swimming with
crocodile tears.
    He got up, and busied himself by putting the chair
back by the desk. Anything not to have to look into those
eyes. She seemed so fragile. “Look, there are towels in the bathroom.
Take a hot shower. You’ll feel better. And anything else you need, look through
the cabinet. I think there’s a pack of new toothbrushes. A comb. Help
yourself.”
    He turned to leave.
    She swiped at her eyes. “Where are you going?” she
whispered.
    He stopped, and looked back. “I’m gonna go get you
some food. I’ll be back in a little while. Okay?”
    She nodded.
    He turned to leave once again.
    “Cole.” She stopped him again.
    “Yeah?” He paused in the doorway, but didn’t look at
her.
    “Why did you do what you did up there? Helping me, I
mean?” she asked softly.
    He turned then, and his gaze found hers.
    They locked eyes.
    In spite of everything that had happened to her, her
innocence still showed through. He’d been with lots of women over the years,
and never in all that time had he ever let any of ‘em get to him. Not once. Why
now? Why this one? He didn’t have a clue what it was about this girl. He only
knew there was something about her that pulled something from down deep inside
him. Something he thought he’d buried long ago, buried under years of
callousness and brutality. Buried under the thick skin he’d grown out of
necessity. He had to push her away. He couldn’t let her know she had an affect
on him.
    He shrugged, “Because I don’t believe women should
be treated the way he was treating you. Don’t go reading anymore into it than
that, babe.”
    He walked out, and she heard him lock the bolt.
    Angel stood up, and walked into the bathroom. There
was a shower stall with an old, plastic shower curtain, yellowed from age. She
pulled it back, and looked inside. It was surprisingly clean. There was a bar
of soap and a bottle of shampoo.
    She turned on the water, and adjusted the
temperature. Soon the steam was rising. Peeling her clothes off, she stepped
inside. Cole was right. The hot water felt