fingers together and chewed her bottom lip.
“I had to leave pretty quickly. Things got out of hand fast.”
“He hurt you, Cassidy? Hit you, abused you?” Coast asked, and she looked up to see all their angry expressions.
“He was possessive. I didn’t realize something was wrong with him until that possessiveness and constant attention and need to know my every move became an obsession for him.”
“How so?” Orlando asked her.
“I lost my job because of him. I mean I had to quit because he started to harass some of the male clients I saw at the VA hospital. A simple hug hello and goodbye from another man and he would lose it.”
“You tried to break up with him?” Cash asked, and she could tell it annoyed him to ask her that.
“I don’t think we should talk about this. You’re getting angry and jealous because this was a guy I was seeing. I don’t want you to be affected by any of this. Can’t you see that, Cash?”
He walked toward her and knelt on the floor in front of her. He took her hand into his.
“This man hurt you. He scared you so much you left your job, your life in Houston where you helped soldiers like us, and made you run and hide. That’s what’s making me angry, and of course the fact that you won’t accept our help and protection.”
She shook her head.
“I can’t. He’ll try to kill you.”
“How do you know he will? Maybe he just threatened that or said those types of things to manipulate and control you. It’s typical abusive boyfriend behavior and mentality,” Coast added.
She clenched her teeth and felt the tears reach her eyes.
“It was more than words, Coast.”
“He hit you?” Memphis asked.
“I’m a Marine. I’m supposed to be tough.”
“Against a guy like that? Give me a break, Cassidy. You could have gotten an order of protection or gone to the police,” Memphis said to her.
“And look like the weak female Marine who can’t defend herself? It was bad enough having to prove I was tough enough to be in the Corps to begin with.”
“That’s what stopped you from getting help?” Orlando asked her, making it seem so stupid and minor.
“No, Orlando. It was when he broke into my apartment in the middle of the night because I didn’t return his messages and calls, and he held his Glock to my throat and threatened to blow my head off. That’s why.”
She stood up, only for Cash to make her sit back down then press between her thighs as she sat on the edge of the bed.
He cupped her cheeks and held her gaze.
“That must have been pretty damn scary, Cassidy. No one can minimize that. None of us are. It just makes us more determined to help you get through this. To help keep you safe from this asshole. We can help you, Cassidy. Our team, our family and friends in Tranquility, are more special than you could ever imagine. Please trust us, baby. We care about you. You complete us, Cassidy. Please let us try.”
She saw the sincerity in his eyes, the determination and power he emitted from his body. She glanced at the others, who stood there focused, angry, supportive, and she’d never felt safer in her life. She wanted to believe them. She wanted to give this a chance, but she still feared that they could get hurt.
“We’ll take precautions. We’ll notify our friends to be on guard. We can do this and protect you because you’re our woman now. It’s our priority.”
Cassidy was overwhelmed with emotion as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I don’t want any of you to get hurt. I couldn’t live with that.”
Cash kissed her lips then caressed her tears away.
“Not going to happen, Cassidy. No one fucks with this team and gets away with it.”