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“Oh, baby,” Rafe whispered and kissed her temple.
“I’m guessing the therapy didn’t work,” Marcus said mildly although his eyes showed anger on her behalf.
Kristi gave a choked laugh. “Not a bit. I still can’t stand the darkness, and I avoid counselors like the plague. No offense intended, Marcus.”
Rafe groaned. “The cave. I’m sorry I put you through that, Kristi.”
“You didn’t know the root cause of my problem. We didn’t have a choice, Rafe.”
“You have more courage than most of the men I served with in the military. They wouldn’t have been able to face their worst nightmare like you did.”
Marcus set down his coffee cup. “How did you sleep last night in the hospital?”
“Rafe was there, and I had a light on in the room.” She smiled. “I would have slept better without the nurses coming in to check on me every hour.”
A chuckle. “I understand. They’re great at doing that. Take a minute, and close your eyes, Kristi. Breathe deep and relax.”
“Come here.” Rafe turned her toward him. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her against him.
Safety. Security. Warmth. She could get used to this. Minutes passed as the men spoke of people and events around Otter Creek while she slowly went limp against Rafe.
Minutes or hours later, Marcus said, “Kristi, how do you feel?”
“Like I need a long nap.”
Rafe palmed the back of her head, his touch surrounding her with care and comfort. “If you want to lie down, I’ll find a place for you to rest.”
She shook her head. “I’m not a good napper. If I sleep in the day, I can’t sleep at night.” When she could sleep at all, that is. Nights were never restful.
“Stay with me and Paige,” Marcus said. “We have plenty of room for you and Wolf Pack.”
“Thanks for the offer, Marcus, but we can’t impose on you,” the operative said. “The kidnappers already know we’re in Otter Creek. I don’t want to bring danger to your doorstep.”
Kristi’s heart sank. The last thing she wanted to do was endanger these good men. The truth was, though, everyone around her was at risk until the culprit behind the kidnapping had been caught and unmasked.
CHAPTER TEN
After Marcus left for another appointment, Rafe wanted to help Kristi take her mind off the trauma of her past. Even now, he’d love to learn the name of the kidnapper who abused her so long ago, track him down, and teach the abuser a lesson he’d never forget. Since that wasn’t possible for the moment, he turned his focus to distracting the woman with the courage of a lion.
He stood and held out a hand. “Walk with me.”
Kristi wiped the last of her tears away with a tissue and grasped his hand. “Where are we going?”
“Someplace I think you’ll like.” Rafe didn’t know of a better place to offer a distraction in the PSI compound. He’d spent many hours there in his downtime when his own demons raged at him.
Rafe led her to the back door and headed for the S & R training facility. Although the chance of the kidnappers gaining entry into the PSI compound was low, Rafe wouldn’t risk Kristi’s safety by keeping her outside for an extended period of time in one place. The mastermind behind the kidnapping might have hired a sniper.
After sliding his card through the reader and entering a code, Rafe ushered Kristi inside the building. Immediately, the sound of dogs barking brought a smile to his face and unraveled the knots in his gut. During the weeks he’d trained at PSI, Rafe had discovered the S & R dogs had the ability to soothe his raw emotions, and longed for a pet of his own.
“Dogs?” Kristi turned to him with a puzzled expression.
“PSI has a Search-and-Rescue training arm. This is the indoor training facility. Do you like dogs?”
“I love them, but I’ve never had a pet. I loved playing with my friends’ dogs, though.”
“Why didn’t you adopt one when you moved away from home?”
“I spent too much time building up Kristi’s Bridal. Do you have a dog?”
