Page 77 of The Hero
“It’s notjustanything. You were starving. A function had shut down because your body was using every calorie just to keep you alive and moving. And now you’re healing. Getting your period back is the first step to us becoming a family. Your body is a miracle, and I’m overwhelmed by how grateful I am that I took that job. That you were smart enough to escape when the opportunity presented itself. That you werestrong enough, physically and mentally, to get us out of the country. This relationship is going to work. Nothing’s going to stop us from living our best lives possible. Okay?”
He was being sappy again, but Bob didn’t care.
“Okay,” she agreed.
“Good.” He kissed her. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
“Don’t go overboard,” she warned him. “I mean, I just need one box.”
“Right. Got it. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Bob left the apartment, feeling happier than he’d felt in ages. He didn’t need adrenaline rushes or danger to make him feel fulfilled. He’d simply needed Marlowe.
Chapter Fifteen
He’d totally gone overboard.
Marlowe shook her head, still thinking about the six boxes of tampons he’d brought home, in every size and brand the small general store in Newton had in stock. He’d also bought three boxes of pads. But it was ... adorable. It was obvious Kendric had no idea what a woman needed during her time of the month, but that made him going all out even sweeter.
When he’d gotten back from the store the night before, he’d quickly whipped up their dinner as they’d talked more about their days. She supposed most people wouldn’t find it very interesting to hear what was involved in a tree-cutting or guide business, but she wanted to know every little thing about her husband.
That night, he’d held her tightly, cuddling and not pressing for sex. He flinched a few times during his sleep, but didn’t wake from a nightmare. Marlowe kept her arms around him, letting him know he was safe and loved, praying it was enough to keep his demons at bay.
And it was.
Now they’d just finished lunch, and she was almost done getting ready to head over to the police station to call Ian.
Did shewantto confront him? Yes and no.
A part of her wanted to just move on. Forget about what happened. But it would be impossible to truly move on unless she cleared hername and confronted the man who’d put her in prison. Who’d made her suffer so much.
She was both scared to death and pissed way the hell off. It was a weird dichotomy, and she wasn’t exactly sure which feeling dominated from moment to moment.
Kendric was on edge. She could tell from the moment they woke up. He hadn’t spoken much, although he was still as loving as ever. She supposed he was just as stressed as she was. The sooner she got this done, the happier they’d both be.
The fact that he was standing by her side while she did what she needed to do meant a lot to Marlowe. She was very aware that he didn’t want her calling Ian. That he was overprotective and wanted to keep her from experiencing any kind of angst. But he was still supporting her decision.
On their way to the police station, she reached over and put her hand on his arm. “It’ll be fine,” she said, not sure who she was trying to convince, Kendric or herself. “I mean, all I’m doing is talking to him.”
“I know.”
His words were clipped. He was obviously very stressed, and Marlowe hated that she was the cause. She sighed and put her hand back in her lap.
Kendric immediately reached over and twined his fingers with hers. “I’m trying,” he said softly. “But I really hate this. West will probably say something to upset you, and it sucks.”
“It does suck,” Marlowe agreed. “But he’s not going to get to me. I survived being thrown in prison and thinking I was going to spend the rest of my life there. Comparatively, this is a piece of cake.”
“Saying it like that, I can’t exactly disagree,” Kendric said.
Marlowe chuckled. “Nope.”
He brought their hands up to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “I love you, and I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks. I just want this done, Kendric. I don’t want to look over my shoulder the rest of my life, and I don’t want Ian to be able to hurt anyone else the way he did me.”
“I know. He won’t. You’ll make sure of it.”
