“Your mother…sold you?”
“She had to find a way to fund her next binge.”
“Holy shit, Sarah. Six years?” I snatched her hand. “Nicco. You yelled out that name. Did he…was he? Shit, I can’t even say it.”
“I know. It’s disgusting. I’m dis—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Sarah! I mean it.” I nudged her chin with my forefinger and then snatched her hand again. “This changes nothing. Absolutelynothing.”
Tears lined her bottom lids, and her nostrils flared.
The cold beat down the hot anger starting to rise up my neck. I really needed to pound something. The thought of Sarah,mySarah, fending off sex-crazed men day after day. Year after year.
“Six years,” I whispered, bile rising.
“I was…his cash cow… Fixed up my face, my boobs, barely fed me so I stayed thin.”
Shit, no wonder she came off older than she was. Holy hell, the abuse she must have suffered. The… I had to stop thinking about it.
I tossed my coffee to the ground and yanked her into my arms. She was the strongest woman I’d ever met. I thought Angelina was, the way she kicked her agoraphobia, but Sarah. Hell, six years.
Six damn years.
Tears bit at the back of my lids as I squeezed her tighter. I heard her cup hit the pavement and then both arms wrapped around my waist. Nuzzling her face into my chest, she let out a long sigh.
“I thought you’d be disgusted.”
“No way.”
“I am…er…was. Sometimes still am. It was easier…drunk. Kept the nightmares away.”
That explained her behavior at the bar. And how she went with so many guys. And she’d said she never kissed them and no one ever stayed the night. Sex was on her terms, she was in control when for so long she hadn’t been. So many things about her clicked into place now, it felt like a light flicked on in my head.
“How’d you get away?”
“Escaped. I’ve been on the run ever since.”
“Wait. On the run. Meaning…”
“Drey. Sarah’s not even my real name.”
“What is?”
“Rachel. But…I live off the grid. No cards, no lease, no car, nothing. Cash only.”
“How—” I laughed. “Bill…he’s helping you.”
“He knows a little.”
And evidently Walker did, too.Damn it. That’s what Damon was overhearing. Walker knew something, didn’t he?
“God, Sarah.” I pulled her close again.
“I tried to stay away from you. Before…when I said good and bad… The bad is that I didn’t want to put you in danger. This…Nicco…I’m sure he’s moved on to his next girl by now and won’t come for me, but I vowed to never get involved with anyone. Mostly because I couldn’t, but also because I didn’t want to bring trouble down on anyone.”
“I can handle trouble. For you, I’ll kick trouble’s ass any day, any time.” I tugged her hat down a little more. “Are you getting cold?”
“A little.”