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"I told his another man had prohtened further "Go on"

"He freaked I mean completely lost it The words were barely out of my mouth when he slapped me I was so shocked that I didn’t even knohat to do And then he was standing over ain He wrapped his hands inon hiently That if he’d been the way he should have with me this would have never happened, that I would have never cheated"

"Son of a bitch," Ash ground out "I’ll kill him for this"

She shook her head violently "No! Ash, leave it alone It’s done with It’s over"

"The hell it is!"

He cale froers had dug into her skin She would wear no iven in passion and tenderness None that she wouldn’t want to wear

"I should have gone to the police," she said in a low voice "I should have pressed charges Had him arrested But God, I was just in shock And then I felt sostupid How could I not have seen this in him? That capacity for violence? How could I have had sex with him and never knohat lay underneath his façade? When I think of what could have happened I trusted hiave hi to ainst him He pushed her hair from her battered cheek and then pressed a kiss to the bruised flesh

"Why what?" he asked gently

She closed her eyes "It’s why I didn’t call you Why I didn’t come to you Why I didn’t accept what you offered I wasafraid"

He tensed, his gaze focusing intently on her "Afraid of me?"

She nodded miserably

He sucked in his breath He understood He didn’t like hearing it, but he understood

"I get it," he said, stroking his hand up her ared hiain

"I understand, but Josie, you need to get this I alanced back up at hi in her eyes She wanted to believe him Wanted to trust herself and her instincts where he was concerned

"I will never hurt you," he said, the vow co solemnly from his lips "If we have issues, ork the my hand to you Ever"

"Okay," she whispered

"Co his other arm to her

She didn’t hesitate and proainst his chest He wrapped both ar in her scent

"Pisses me off that you’ll wear those bruises for severalthe to see the you"

"I’ainst his chest

"You’re not Yet But you will be," he promised "Give ht together I get that you’re gun-shy right now and that you’re doubting yourself, but give yourself into ret it"

She was silent for a long e as he waited for her acceptance

Then she gave it One simple word, laced with uncertainty but quiet determination

"Okay"

His own chest caved in a bit He breathed in and out for several seconds before squeezing her to him

"Sleep now, Josie Tomorroe’ll decide what to do about your apart until her body went lax against his and the soft, even sounds of her breathing filled his ears And still he waited, tense, replaying every word she’d said earlier The fear in her voice The self-conde over her while he hurt her made it impossible for hiht when he quietly picked up his cell phone frohtstand and punched Jace’s number from his contacts list

"What the hell?" his friend ood, Ash"

"I need an alibi," Ash said

There was a long silence

"Jesus Fuck! What the hell, lanced down at Josie, her eyelashes resting on her cheeks, the shadow of a bruise still on her face

"Not now But soon Right now Josie needs me She needs comfort and peace And she needs to know that I will never hurt her For now, I’ sure she knows this But then I’ after the bastard who put these bruises on her face and I’ll need you to help provide an alibi if it becomes necessary"

"Christ, Ash What the fuck? Sooing to ain"

Jace blew out his breath over the phone as he grew quiet

"Whatever you need, man You have it Never have to ask"

"Thanks, man," Ash murmured "Talk to you later"

Chapter twelve

Josie stirred and tried to stretch but immediately ran into a hard body Her eyes flew open and she blinked rapidly as confusion ran through her mind Then she remembered She was in bed with Ash In Ash’s apartaze met the hard wall of his chest, saw the rise and fall of that beautifulhis smell Her lips were so close that she could easily press her mouth to his skin And she was te up after a nightlove They hadn’t had sex at all Yet They didn’t know each other at all beyond a few pleasantries and one conversation over dinner