Surviving Broken(68)

A small, soothing smile danced in his eyes. “Darlin’, don’t you know? Words only count when you mean them.”

She flashed him a soft, grateful grin in return. Without holding back or using any filter, JC opened up to Reed. “We met at my sister’s wedding. He was very smooth and knew exactly what to say. I know now that he was preying on me to get into the industry or at trying to get Tom’s attention. But when he sensed me pulling away, he got mean. He twisted everything I said and did. He turned really…dark,” her nose curled in revulsion, “even going as far as accusing me of having a thing for Tom and Benny.”

Reed’s expression hardened and a frown deepened, realizing the story was about turn.

JC lowered her gaze to his chest watching it rise and fall with each strained breath he took. She lifted her chin and looked him in the eyes. “He…he beat the hell out of me, twice. Once before Christmas and the next time was right before my mom’s fiftieth birthday party. The second time was really bad.”

His body language stiffened.

“I think when you touched my neck…it triggered something.” She laid the tips of her fingers at the notch of her throat watching as the color slowly leached from his face. “I knew it wasn’t right, he wasn’t right. I planned my escape, but he caught me.”

Liquid pooled at the edges of his eyes. Holding back his rage, Reed brought his palm to her face, tracing the pad of his thumb across her cheek. “Go on.”

“My parents must’ve sensed I was lying when I told them I had the flu. Tom showed up at the door. He was going to bring me home and surprise my mom for her fiftieth.” Her eyes were filled with anguish and humiliation. “I always considered myself to be a strong, independent woman. I became a statistic overnight by staying with him after it happened the first time. I don’t know why I believed him or why I was afraid to leave. But I did and I’ll never forgive myself for being so stupid.”

“You’re probably the strongest woman I’ve met, darlin’, and I’m from Texas. Some men are just bastards and they know how to manipulate and use people in their lives, especially women.” He reached for her fingers and pressed them to his rigid lips.

JC knew he was mad as hell, but he was also trying to be tender and supportive for her sake.

“How did you get away?”

She gnawed on her lip. “I told you, Tom came and picked me up.”

“No, I mean, how did you get away from him that night?”

No one in her family had asked her that question, not even Tracy.

She cringed with shame. Her nose and eyes burned and her lip began to quiver. “I…I thought he was going to kill me. I didn’t have a choice. I had to tell him…”

A light of understanding flickered in his eyes and a low murderous growl came from his chest.

“He’d been telling me, Ti amo for a long time, but I’d never say the words in return.” JC broke down and started to sob uncontrollably, gasping for air between words. “When I finally pried his hands from my neck, I told him I loved him.” She buried her face in her hands and shook her head in humiliation. “And then I had to ask him to—”

“Shhh.” Reed pulled her close, her head rested on his arm beneath her neck. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it. Those words didn’t count, darlin’.” He placed tender kisses to her forehead. His hand coasted up and down her back, soothing the rigidness form her spine.

After a few moments of silent petting, intuitive understanding, and unmeasurable comfort, Reed traced her jaw languorously with the back of his fingers. “I was gonna surprise you. I ordered my passport today. What are the extradition rights for Italy? Cause I’m going to Italy to kill that fucking bastard. There won’t be anything left of him when I’m finished.”

Pressing her lips to his chin, she curled her arm around his shoulder. “No, you can’t fly to Italy and kill him. Then I’d be all alone without my boyfriend.” She fell silent in his arm. The thought of losing Reed for any reason was too overwhelming to consider, especially over Luca.

“Sure I can.” He looked over her, tentatively taking in her uneasiness. “JC, I want you to know that I will never hurt you.”

“I know that. I trust you, more than I’ve ever trusted anyone.” Her breath caught at her own private admission that part of her was scared to death and it wasn’t because she was afraid of Reed. For the first time in her life, she let a man get close to her. JC rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “Have you ever been in love?”