I nod my head in agreement. She’s right: If I have a say in it, she won’t go back. Ever. "You can stay here for as long as you need to."
“You say that, but you don't know what I did.”
“Tell me,” I urge her.
She takes a deep breath, and I can feel her small body rattle with it. She's so tiny in my arms. "My father is was not right. Ever since my mother died, he's been crazy. He drinks all the time. He never let me leave the house. Made me homeschool. I wasn't allowed to do anything. I told myself when I graduated high school and was eighteen I would leave, but it's like he knew that. He had locks on all the windows and doors, and I couldn't get out. In the last two years, I haven't been out of the house at all. He came home drunk today. The middle of the day and he was already so wasted. I knew what was coming. It happens every time he's like that. But before he could get the first punch in, I was done. I hit him over the head with a beer bottle. I don't know if I killed him or what, but he fell, and I got the keys and cash out of his pocket while he was out and left. I have a bag of clothes and that's it. I don't have anything else. I probably killed him. I'll probably go to jail, but right now, I'm free."
She says it all in one long breath, and her body sags farther into me the more she gets out. No doubt she’s relieved by sharing this with someone else. But where she softens, I harden. My whole body is tense just thinking about what she’s been through. How could a man beat his own daughter? Lock her up like that, hurt her day after day?
I try to reassure her. "You're not going to jail. It was self-defense."
She shakes her head. “You don't know that.”
I lean up to the coffee table and grab a pad of paper, handing it to her. "Write it down. I want your address. Father's name."
She doesn’t argue. She takes the paper and writes something down, handing it back to me. Tyler Bates. The address is in Mutton Hollow, TN, a town only a couple hours from here.
She looks frightened. "What are you going to do?"
I shrug. "I'm going to take care of it."
"I can't have you do that. He's mean... he's..."
I shake my head. "You won't have any peace just running and not knowing what's chasing you. Let me do this. I promise no one is going to take you." I almost sayno one is going to take you from mebut I stop before I get the words out.
She's so lost in thought she lays her head against my chest. I stare off at the wall, the feel of her in my arms going to my head. I want to make everything right with her. I want to make her feel safe. But in the end, I know I won’t be able to force her to stay. All I can do is make sure she’s safe and hopefully fix it so she doesn’t have to keep running.
It isn't long before she falls asleep, and I keep holding her just waiting for the morning light to come.
Chapter7
Emma
Iburrow deeper into the warmth. At the groan I hear, I jerk awake and almost fall to the floor. I'm sure I would have if arms didn't go around me to save me.
Wide eyed, I stare at Brett. He looks tired, and it’s then I realize that he's held me all night long, sitting up on the couch. I've been with him less than 24 hours and already I've completely turned his life upside down.
"You okay?" he asks.
I pull away, and he seems as if he's not going to let me go, but eventually his arms loosen. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm going to go back home and face the consequences. It's the right thing to do."
He shakes his head. "No you're not. I'm going to go and see what's happening. You're going to stay right here and not let anyone in until I get back."
"I can't have you do that.”
I'm doing it, Emma," he says.
He gets up from the couch and wipes his hand across his face. "Can you just promise me you won't go anywhere until I get back? Please."
I've already put more of a burden on this man than I've ever done in my life. I wouldn't be surprised if he asked me to just leave and never come back. I mean, that's what any normal person would do.
I cross my arms over my chest. "Fine, as long as you promise me you'll come back in one piece."
He stares at me, his nostrils flaring. I don't know why it's important to me, but it is. I want him to be okay. "Yeah, I'll come back in one piece."
I pace the room while he goes and showers. A shower would be great right now, but I'll take one later. I want to see him before he leaves. The thought of running crosses my mind, but I have no doubt he’d find me. Another part of me is scared to run. I can’t imagine walking away right now.
When he comes from his bedroom dressed and ready for the day, he watches me closely. "I have Peter and Raymond working the ranch. I sent them both a text, and I’ll be sure to talk to them before I go. They know you're in here and won't bother you. I'm going to go to Mutton Hollow, but I'll be back. Don't leave."