“I had a dream the night before, that Mom was going to die. I tried to stop thinking about it. I did. But it got so bad that I went to the closet, like before. That’s when Mr. Fraser found me.” She looked up at Gavin with wide eyes. “He took me into the woods, but I tried hard to stop him. I really did.”
Gavin sighed. Sleep was claiming him, but he said in a slurred voice, “I’m sorry, Emma. I’m sorry you were scared and that you felt like you had to run away. I’m sorry that man took you, and I promise you, I will never let that happen again. When you’re ready, though, we’re going to have you talk to some people to help you not be so scared anymore.”
Emma burrowed against him. “I don’t like talking to people.”
“I know, but I’m going to talk to some people, too. I promise. We’ll do it together.” He yawned, and he took Emma’s hand just as sleep finally took hold of him and wouldn’t let go.
Epilogue
Two months after what was eventually termed The Incident, everything seemed to return to normal. Mostly normal, at any rate, Kat reflected with a wry smile. Gavin had told her in no uncertain terms that there was no way she was going to get away from him again, and she’d moved in with him the day he’d returned home from the hospital. And neither of them had looked back.
Silas awaited his trial, sitting in jail for the foreseeable future. The judge had denied him bail since he would still be a real threat to Kat, Gavin and Emma. Silas had tried contacting Kat to apologize, but she’d refused all contact. He’d told the judge that he’d done everything because he loved her. She didn’t understand it, but she was glad he couldn’t hurt anyone else.
The past two months had been ones of healing. Gavin had mostly healed from his bullet wound, although he still had pain in his side if he worked himself too hard. More than once, Kat had had to convince him to rest. It didn’t help that he’d been unable to work at River’s Bend and had to instead use his savings to pay for living expenses until he got back onto his feet. He’d briefly mentioned that his family had said they would assist him, but Gavin had too much pride for that, the stubborn man.
Gavin had also found a child therapist for Emma, along with one for himself as well. Emma’s anxiety had gotten worse in the beginning, and she’d suffered from nightmares more than once when Kat had stayed the night with Gavin. Gavin had been beside himself with guilt. Kat had encouraged him to seek therapy for not just his daughter, but for himself.
“If we’re all going to therapy, you should go, too,” he’d said wryly. “You can’t tell me this entire thing didn’t affect you, either.”
Kat had tried to keep her fears to herself, the anxiety that kept her awake the nights she spent at her grandmother’s house. She’d told herself that with Silas behind bars, she had nothing to fear. But that didn’t stop her from looking over her shoulder when she heard a strange noise, or seeing the woods behind the school and remembering.
So she’d found a therapist, too, and all of them began to heal from the wounds inflicted that cold October night. Even as the physical wounds healed, the emotional wounds would take much longer.
But Kat had Gavin and Emma’s love, and she loved them both with her entire heart. They healed each other with every moment they spent together. Kat could see a future that was bright and hopeful, not terrifying and lonely.
A few days before Christmas, Kat spent most of her time at Gavin’s. The apartment could barely hold three people, but it was cozy on cold winter days.
Emma was asleep already. Kat was curled up next to Gavin, a mug of hot cider warming her hands. Gavin was rubbing her neck and giving her occasional forehead kisses. Christmas music played softly in the background. The only thing they lacked was a fire. Too bad Gavin’s little apartment didn’t have a fireplace, she thought drowsily.
“You’re so beautiful,” said Gavin, gazing down at her. “You know that, right?”
“Considering you say it all the time…” She smiled and touched his face. “You’re pretty too, you know.”
To her amusement, he looked embarrassed. “I’m hardly pretty.”
“You’re very pretty.” He made a sound, and she laughed. “You’re also handsome, and so manly that you can rip logs apart with your bare hands. You drip testosterone with every step you take. I’m pretty much pregnant just from sitting next to you.”
That made him growl. “You’re damn right I am.”
Kat had the forethought to set her mug of cider down right before Gavin tumbled her back onto the couch, caging her in with his arms and legs. She laughed. Despite the prison of his embrace, she didn’t want to be anywhere else. There was no one she felt safer with than with Gavin Danvers.
“Take back what you said,” he said before kissing her jaw.
“That you can split logs with your bare hands?”
“No, that I’m pretty.”
She snorted. “Are you seriously still harping about that.” She let out a surprised moan when his hands brushed her upraised nipple.
“If you don’t, I’m going to punish you. All night long.”
She raked her fingers through his dark hair. “Sounds terrible. Maybe I should call the police.”
“Our neighbors probably will once they hear you screaming.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at that pronouncement, which only gave Gavin more reason to show her how determined he was. He kissed her, claiming her mouth, his hands skating across her body. He knew exactly how to touch her, and how to draw out her desire until she trembled for him.
He pushed her sweater up and cupped her breast through the lace material of her bra. “Somebody is turned on,”
