And again, the hatred. Colton got an uneasy feeling in his gut. Her next words didn’t help.
“We had a history. Anything I said would’ve been twisted until it looked like I was trying to get Robert in trouble any way I could. That’s when I knew I had to take Noah away.”
“Why didn’t you request a different officer?”
She scoffed. “Robert has a lot of friends in the department…he’s actually a very charming guy when he wants to be. Besides, it’s more…well, it’s more complicated than just that.” More quietly she added, “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” he coaxed, and reached out to her once more.
Her gaze shifted from the window to where his hand covered hers. She was silent for so long he thought she’d decided to clam up. Then she took a deep breath and he felt her hand quiver. The other hand shook where it rested on her opposite thigh. Concern brought his attention to her face where a tear trembled on her bottom lashes.
“Jeremy…”
Colton squeezed her hand, giving silent encouragement.
“He…raped me four years ago.”
When her raw words registered, white-hot rage exploded in his chest. His entire body tensed, fists automatically clenched. “The police officer?”
She nodded, her gaze downcast as the tear slipped the edge and tracked down her cheek.
Colton’s fury demanded release, but violence was the last thing she needed to see right now. With effort, he managed to control his emotions and forced his fingers to release their death-grip on hers. She swallowed hard and quickly clasped her hands togeth
er in her lap. “I thought it was my fault,” she admitted in a tiny voice. “I’d flirted with him, encouraged him to ask me out, even kissed him and invited him into my apartment…”
The shame in her voice fueled his anger. She was not to blame! “Kendra—”
She suddenly shook her head, and stiffened her spine with an expression of steely determination. “When I finally found the courage to report what he’d done, there was no evidence. Long story short, it came down to my word against his, and he’s a highly decorated officer with influential friends—who do you think they believed?”
“They should’ve believed you, the bastards.” He wanted to pull her back into his arms but was suddenly afraid to touch her—afraid his touch would bring back awful memories. It didn’t even matter that she’d kissed him a few minutes ago. He took a calming breath to say, “I’m sorry, Kendra.”
Her beautiful eyes swam with tears when she raised her face, and his heart constricted. At this moment, he’d give anything to take away her pain. He started to reach out, but quickly quelled the urge.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” she said. “You didn’t do anything.”
“Neither did you—you do realize that, don’t you?” He risked covering her hand with his on her leg, relieved when she didn’t pull away.
“Yes, I did finally come to that realization. But, now do you see why I ran? It was the only way I knew to keep Noah safe. We went to California, but Robert found us there, so Colorado was our last option—no one knew about Joel.”
“How did he find you in California?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Best I can guess he opened my credit card statements. I had no clue what I was doing out there on the road. When Noah spotted Robert at a store where I’d charged things a few times, I made the connection and gave my cards to a friend in exchange for cash. It was enough for a couple of bus tickets and some meals along the way.”
She dropped her attention, her eyes focused on his thumb as he rubbed it gently across her soft skin.
“The morning we…met”—her cheeks colored—“I literally had pennies left in my pocket. Noah was hungry, and we needed cab fare.”
For the first time, Colton felt a tug of humor. “So, you robbing me really was a coincidence?”
She nodded, her expression earnest. “I swear, I had every intention of returning the wallet—and that was before fate was cruel enough to toss you right back in my face only a few hours later.”
The words may have been an outright insult, but they were spoken without any malice. In fact, Colton heard a surprising note of humor at the end. He leaned back against the couch, drained and somewhat relieved to finally know the truth—even though the whole of it was a hell of a lot to take in.
Kendra shifted on the couch to face him. “I talked to Noah when I first came in before…he swore he didn’t put those snaps out there, and I believe him. He still has the sealed box you gave him.”
Relief fled right out the window. If not Noah, then who? Colton met her grim gaze and guessed her thoughts without her even saying the name out loud. He sat up with a jerk. “Notify him that you’ve changed the beneficiary of your trust.”
“It’s not that easy,” she contended. “He’s still Noah’s legal guardian.”