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"Oh yes," he said quietly "She’s co with me I’ll take care of her I promise"

Kate’s expression eased "Good I worry about her About all of theet to her and to see how badly she was hurt, but Kate stopped him once more

"I want to thank you," she said in a soft voice "For everything The heat The food The generous donation Look around you, Mr Crestwell All these women have a warm place to sleep and food to eat because of you"

Jace griratitude He nodded briefly and then headed for Bethany Her eyes were closed She looked asleep sitting up He took the opportunity to study her more closely and he swore at what he saw

She looked even thinner if possible There were shadows under her eyes She was pale

And she was hurting

He knelt quietly in front of her As soon as she sensed his presence, her eyes flew open and she flinched away, panic firing in her eyes

"It’s all right, Bethany," he ratified to see that her fear disappeared, but it was quickly replaced by confusion

"Jace?"

His name came out a cautious whisper, al in front of her Then she straightened and she turned her hands inward, hiding the scrapes and the blood

"What are you doing here?" she asked in a tre voice

His expression hardened and he stood Her gaze followed hi, he siht froainst his chest and he cradled her possessively, deter else would hurt her Then she stiffened and her ?" she hissed

He strode toward the door, his grip tightening when she began to struggle

"Taking you away froan to protest in earnest and Jace caught Kate’s worried stare He nodded to reassure the older wohtened his hold on her further

"Enough," he ground out "Don’t fightto hurt you I promised her I’d take care of you Don’t hten all the women?"

She bit her lip and went limp Slowly she shook her head "No," she whispered "But you can’t just carry me out of here, Jace"

"Watch me"

He shouldered his way out of the door and the burst of cold air made her instantly shiver He swore under his breath, pissed that she wasn’t better protected fro was no barrier to incle me"

Her voice was s in his arms, whether from the cold or from true fear he wasn’t sure

"I won’t hurt you and you goddaaze was haunted as she stared up at hi the stares from passersby

"How do I know that?"

His lips tightened "If you don’t already know it, you soon will"

The car stopped and his driver hurried out to open the back door Jace leaned in to settle Bethany on the seat and then he slid in beside her She sighed the moment she made contact with the heated seats

A moment later, the car pulled into traffic and silence settled over the backseat

"Where are we going?" she asked, the tremble still evident in her voice

He reached for her hands, turning them both palm up so he could inspect the scrapes

"What happened, Bethany?"

She went so still against hi There was such darkness in her eyes--hopelessness--that it took his breath away And he kneithout a doubt, that he’d done the right thing No matter what demons she battled, what her present or past circu her down and taking her away

• • •

Bethany tugged her hands away from Jace and turned her face to theWhat on earth was he doing? How had he found her? Why had he found her?

Seeing hie shock One that had rendered her incapable of the siht process She barely offered a token protest when he’d hauled her away and stuffed her into the back of his car Wasn’t this kidnapping?

"Bethany, look at entle, there was nothe command in his voice It was one she couldn’t help but obey She turned her chin and peeked up at hiht in her throat

He was such a beautifulPower emanated froth It was plain for all to see He wore authority like he’d been born to it

Though she’d sworn he was a man who’d always make a woman feel safe, at this very ested she wasn’t safe at all, though she wasn’t sure what it was she wasn’t safe from

He wouldn’t harm her Of that she was sure But there were many other hurts than just physical

"Don’t be afraid ofyou can just dictate Telling someone not to be afraid of you doesn’t iven you any indication that I’ to hurt you?"

"You just carried ainst ! Why were you even there, Jace? How and why did you find her than she intended There was a shrillness to her voice that spoke of her panic

He put his fingers to her cheek, pressing in just enough that she felt his touch and was powerless to turn away

"You need aped open and she stared back at him in astonishment She had no idea what to say to that What could she say?