Awakening Veronica(Divine Creek Ranch 17)(35)

“Yes, but in the interim Lily divorced him and found what she was looking for in Divine. She’s now happily married to Clay Cook and his brother, Del.”

“The man who owns the jewelry store she wrecked her car into?”

“Yes. They’d all known each other since they were kids and they wound up falling in love. Anyway, the abusive bastard returned to Divine. Without going into all the details, I’ll tell you he tricked Lily into coming to him. We got a tip from Seth Carter, who you met at Maizy’s wedding. He happened to see them together and could tell something was wrong. The bastard knocked her out and tied her down in the bed of his pickup, with an electrical storm brewing, knowing that she has a lightning phobia.”

“He what? Tied her down?”

“Yes, with wire, to eyebolts he’d installed for that purpose. His plan had been to kidnap her, terrorize her with the storm on the long drive home, and take her back to his mobile home, which he’d retrofitted with shackles and chains. He’d planned to chain her up and make her his slave, so she’d never get away again. There’s more to the story, which is more personal for her. If you ever get to know her, I’m sure you could ask her about it, but suffice it to say, this shithead believed that he owned her, body and soul.”

“What happened?”

“We caught up to him. He pulled a gun and I shot him.” He watched her intently.

“Dead?”

“Dead.”

“Good.”

“It was by no means easy to take another’s life, even though it was in self-defense. I did what needed doing.” Hank smiled and rubbed her knee with his knuckles. “So when you ask me what I’m most scared of, I’d have to say not being there for someone who needs me, and winding up losing that person.” His level gaze held hers and she nodded. “Now, since I answered such a personal question, I get to ask you a personal question, Nika.”

From anyone else, the words would have set her on edge, but she knew she’d tell him what he wanted to know even before he asked. “What’s your question?”

“What do you need most?”





Chapter Six




Travis watched as she squeezed her hands together. Talking about herself made her uncomfortable. He recalled the visible anxiety he’d seen her dealing with before the wedding and at the club. Her lack of sleep probably made that worse.

She looked between the two of them and said, “To be important.” Her words were soft, embarrassed in the quiet room.

Hank sat back and his eyebrows rose. “You mean to be on the New York Times Best Sellers list? Or to sell a million copies of your latest book?”

She shook her head and frowned. “I don’t care about either of those things. Best seller lists and royalties are great. They make it possible for me to do what I love. What I’m talking about is being important to someone. Knowing that my presence or absence means something to someone.”

“You mean in a relationship?” Travis asked, thinking he understood. “You feel starved for acceptance from those closest to you, don’t you? Earlier, you said you are an underachiever in a family of social overachievers, meaning you feel you don’t fit in there. You talked about being close to Cord and Jackson but you rarely see them. And then there’s Grandma Kate, but you rarely see her. Your life is spent writing and online. You’re starving, Nika.”

Her eyes took on a faraway quality. “I don’t mean to sound pathetic. I need to be wanted for myself. Not for what I write, or how much money I make, or who I know. Just for who I am. I want to know I’m…enough to someone.”

Hank got up from the couch and gestured toward the stereo receiver in the entertainment system. “You mind if I turn on some music?”

“No, but I don’t know how any of that equipment works.” Travis thought that was interesting considering that she’d been there nearly a week. He had an inkling that she felt she shouldn’t touch it.

“That’s okay. I can figure it out.” Hank glanced at him with a smile and tuned the radio to a country station. Thomas Rhett’s “It Goes Like This” was playing as he adjusted the volume, so they could still talk, and returned to the couch.

They each took one of her hands and Hank lifted her knuckles to his lips. “I’m willing to answer all the questions you have, Nika, but I have one more for you.”

“I’m supposed to be interviewing you,” she whispered softly as Hank scooted closer to her. Her breathing became ragged as she moved back against the couch, her eyes riveted on his lips, and then she turned her gaze to Travis. She didn’t look hunted or scared to him. Her pupils were dilated and her cheeks were filled with beautiful color.