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But while Phoebe was teaching, she let go of everything else. The only sign that she had any other life besides the call was the periodic shift of her gaze to the phone she'd propped on the table, just to check on her daughter.
He was jealous. And impressed. And just in awe.
She took two more questions, gave a few housekeeping instructions about when the replay would be available and clarification about their assignment, and then she disconnected.
She leaned back in the seat, stretching her arms above her head. "That was a great call," she said. Her eyes were sparkling, and there was so much energy pouring off her. "Thanks for making me do it."
He didn't move from the doorway. "After listening to you help all those women, I'll never let you skip a call again. You're fucking magic."
She smiled at him. "Why thank you, kind sir. I do my best."
He could tell she felt relaxed and peaceful. "No wonder you coach these women. It lights you up."
Her smile widened. "It does," she agreed. "I think it's because I spent so much of my life being afraid and feeling powerless. Anything I can do to help other women move past those emotions and into a place of strength and hope feels so good. Plus, when I teach them, it makes me be better at choosing more helpful thoughts for myself."
He sat down on the bed and braced his forearms on his thighs. "Listening to you makes me feel like people can change."
She spun the chair so she was facing him. "People can change."
He searched her face. "How did you do it? How did you get from whatever darkness you were under, to being able to coach like that? You're pure light."
Phoebe sighed. "I'm not pure light."
He raised his brows.
"I'm not." She got up from the chair and flopped down on the bed on her back. She stretched her arms out above her head and stared at the ceiling. "My dad was a terrible man. I was scared all the time growing up. Scared he was going to kill me."
Jacob swore under his breath, then stretched out beside her, propping his head on his hand so he could watch her. "Is he dead now?" If he wasn't, Jacob was going to have to go after him.
"Yes. My mom eventually divorced him, and she married an amazing man who became the dad I never had."
Jacob could hear the genuine affection in her voice, and he was glad. She deserved love.
"But I wanted to follow my own path. I still resented my mom for staying with my dad as long as she had, for the trauma of my childhood. I rebelled by marrying the first handsome, rich, powerful guy who would have me, thinking that marrying a powerful man would make me powerful."
"But it doesn't. Because it's his power."
"Exactly. He turned out to be the same as my father."
"Shit."
"Yeah, right?" Her voice was matter of fact, but he could hear the years of weight as she spoke. "A friend of mine referred me to Eliana, and she helped me disappear. But every minute I was in my new life, I waited to turn around and find him standing in my doorway. Hunting me."
Jacob ground his jaw. "I know that feeling."
She turned her head to look at him. "Your ex-husband?"
He laughed softly. "No, my dad. And his friends. I was a pawn for them."
She rolled onto her side so she was facing him. "I'm sorry."
He shrugged. "It was a long time ago, but he's not dead. He just got out of prison a couple days ago."
Phoebe's eyes widened. "Is he going to come here?"
"I don't know. I mean, we're in the celebrity rags a lot, but I don't know that he would ever think that Jacob Hart, billionaire rancher, is the scrawny little Jacob that he bullied. But I still wait for him to come." The words were hard for him to admit. He was a grown fucking man, but his dad still haunted him. His family knew, because the Harts didn't keep secrets, but he hadn't had to tell them. They just seemed to know why he'd had to put so many safeguards in his home.
Admitting to Phoebe was different. Unexpected. Tense.
