AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her hair was clean, freshly brushed—Sarah again—and he couldn’t get over how much she looked like an innocent pixie. Huge green eyes peered at him over the elephant’s head as she cuddled it, her face almost buried in Moose’s soft fur.
“Hey, baby. There’s someone I’d like you to meet, if you want to. Would you come down and say hello?”
Her toes curled over the top step. “Are they scary?”
The agent would likely intimidate the hell out of her, he thought, but wisely said nothing. She needed to learn how to make her own mind up about people again, instead of relying on others to decide for her. Another step towards regaining her sense of self. “He’s not a bad man, baby.”
She scuffed her foot on the carpet. “Does he look mean?”
“Ah…no, I don’t think so.”
Jenna turned her head, nodded. He saw Sarah’s hand cup her jaw, the thumb stroke her cheekbone. A bonding moment he memorized. His girl had made a friend, and Sarah was renowned for ensuring her friendships lasted, no matter what trials they went through.
Jenna trudged down the steps, reluctance clear in the set of her body. But she took his hand when she reached him, curled her fingers into his trustingly.
“Don’t be scared, Jenna. If he asks you a question, try and answer honestly. As best as you can remember. There’s no right or wrong answers.” Connor kissed her gently, rested his forehead against hers. “I’ll be right there with you, baby. I won’t leave you alone.”
She followed him when he led her into the living room. Paused when she stopped dead in the doorway, shaking her head when she saw the two men seated on the couch. He watched her eyes dart from Caleb to Hadley, weigh them up. Her gaze only landed on Caleb once before she edged behind Connor’s back, almost peering around him at the imposing man in the suit.
He moved toward the recliner, testing the bond between them as she stood her ground for a few tense seconds, then breathed a sigh of relief when she scurried along with him, glued to his side. When he sat, she threw herself onto his lap and huddled in close, her thumb popping straight into her mouth.
Moose was tucked between them, as though she protected him as well.
Acknowledgement flashed in Hadley’s eyes, followed swiftly by a sadness Connor understood well enough. A pitying sadness for a young woman stripped down to her inner child.
“Jenna, this is Special Agent Hadley with the FBI. He’s been working hard trying to find out who you are and where your family is. He wants to find the man who hurt you so he can lock him away. He wants to help, baby.”
Loud, nervous sucking noises emanated from her mouth.
Connor ran a hand over her back, nape to butt, in an effort to stem the tremors building under her skin. He offered Hadley a small nod, an invitation to speak.
“Jenna, it’s very nice to meet you.” Hadley blinked when she jerked at the sound of his voice. “I’ve heard a lot about you, about how brave you’ve been through all this.”
Her head ducked away; her cheek pressed against Connor’s chest as she sucked harder. Her eyes were closed, and the tiniest of frowns marred her brow.
“We don’t know the full story of what happened to you before you found Connor,” he continued quietly, lifting a hand to silence Caleb before he could interrupt. “It would be very helpful if you could tell me anything you remember about the time you spent with Sire.”
Jenna froze, the barest whimper dropping the room into complete silence. Connor closed his eyes in despair as wetness soaked through his jeans. It didn’t matter, fuck, it was only a pair of jeans, but understanding how vulnerable she was in that moment struck him viciously.
When he gathered himself enough to open them again, he saw disgust written plainly on Caleb’s face, and nearly snapped. Not for the first time, he thought his brother was in a position of power he didn’t deserve. He had no empathy, no kindness in him to connect with people, women, like Jenna. Whatever had driven him to be a cop, to protect and serve, had died.
Hadley, however, was a different kettle of fish. The suit was on his feet, the empathy missing from Caleb alight inside the agent. In a low voice, he asked, “Where can I get a towel?”
Grateful, Connor gave him a nod of acceptance. The suit had his approval. He saw in Hadley what he felt in himself, and the connection made itself known. “Door under the stairs.”
Hadley walked out.
“One word, Cal, and I’ll smash your teeth down your throat.” Connor pressed his face to Jenna’s hair. “It’s okay, baby. You’ve done nothing wrong.” He winced at the wetness spreading over the front of the shirt at the apex of her thighs, knew the side beneath her thighs would be just as soaked.
Hadley came back with two big bath towels. “Need a hand?”
“No, I’ve got her, thanks. Stand up, baby. Need to get rid of that wet shirt.” It took a lot of coaxing to get her on her feet, and he made sure her back was to the agent when he stripped off the shirt, quickly bundled her in a towel. Hadley’s shocked grunt didn’t go unnoticed—by Connor or Jenna.
Misery washed over her face.
With the second towel on his thigh, soaking up the urine drowning his jeans, Connor settled her back on his lap and cuddled her tight. “You understand?” he asked Hadley coolly.
The agent inclined his head. “I have a little girl at home,” he replied slowly. “Alittlegirl. It would seem we’re not as unalike as I assumed. She’s given consent?”
