past year she wondered again if she had really managed to elude him or if this was just the calm before another storm. He’d destroyed the few keepsakes she’d managed to save from her mother, killed her dog, and ruined several cars. But the worst thing he’d managed to do was alienating her from her friends and co-workers.
Tori had needed to stop several times while she was telling her story to regroup, and she was grateful for Trace’s patience. He never tried to hurry her, his questions were quiet and thoughtful, just enough to let her know he was actively listening. A couple of times she noted something in his demeanor that seemed to radiate anger, but she knew it wasn’t directed at her, and he was able to mask it quickly. When she had finally purged herself of almost all the disgusting details, she sagged in her seat feeling like a puppet whose strings had been suddenly severed.
Looking up into his eyes her words sounded frail even to her own ears. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have just unloaded all that septic information on you like that. But it’s just that it’s been…well, it’s been a rough year and you are the first person who has really listened…and I well, I guess I…”
“Stop!” His quiet command might have been spoken in a soft voice, but there was no doubt that it was meant to bring about her silence. “Princess, don’t you dare apologize for doing exactly what I asked you to do and for sharing information that is vital to your health or safety… ever ! Hear this and hold this in your heart and mind as you get to know me and the other people in Climax—we take care of and fiercely protect what belongs to us. We take great pride in keeping our women safe, and I’m sure some of them are going to tell you we are practically obsessive about it.” His smile took away some of the sharpness of his words, letting her know he wasn’t trying to frighten her. “I’ll introduce you to Katarina, Jenna, and Rissa, they’ll all tell you how serious we are about the safety of all the women in our community.” He had taken her small hand in his and was drawing circles slowly in her palm as he spoke to her, and she marveled at how soothing that small gesture was and was grateful that he wasn’t pressing her for more information. “You’re safe here, Tori, I want you to know that, and if your stalker cop shows up, I’ll keep you safe.” He had paused for so long she wasn’t sure he was going to continue, but he finally added, “I think you should consider staying at the ranch until you are sure he didn’t track you here. Alex and Zach have considerable resources and contacts, and I’d like to ask them to check this out so you can put it all behind you. What do you say?”
Tori had worried that Gary might track her, and even though she had taken every precaution she could, in the end, she knew how difficult it was to truly disappear particularly when her inheritance in Colorado would be public record, and he’d find it eventually if he was really looking. Gazing out the window of his large truck, she wanted nothing more than to just curl up and sleep, it had always been her escape of choice when she was stressed, and she could feel the fatigue overtaking her as the minutes ticked by. She finally nodded her head and said, “That is probably a good idea, I have been worried that he might be looking for me. The night he killed Duchess and left her battered body on my porch, he told me that he would never let me go, that I’d end up just like my ‘fucking dog’ if I ever let another man touch me.”
Trace couldn’t remember ever being as angry as he was at this moment, but he pushed it down because Tori needed tenderness and to be wrapped in the shelter of his protection without feeling the rage vibrating through him with seismic intensity. He pulled her into his chest and just held her while she fell in to quiet sobs once again. “Shhh…princess, you have to stop, you are going to