Page 53 of Her Unflinching Warrior (Omega Sky)
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“I have never doubtedyou were a survivor. Jada, you are one of the strongest women I’ve ever met. Hell, I think you’re the strongest,” he said wryly.
“Damn right,” she muttered sarcastically.
“But even the strongest among us need to lean on others from time to time. Sometimes life gets pretty damn ugly, and we need someone.”
“I was only under their tender mercies for a day and a half. Two days? It was no big deal. Just a couple of bumps and bruises. Gianna ended up in a coma for God’s sake, this was nothing.”
“One person’s nothing is another person’s something,” Gideon pressed.
“Shut it, Sailor Boy. For fuck’s sake, you have to know they did a rape kit, there was nothing, ergo, I’m fine.”
“You had bruises on your breasts. You might not have been raped, but some man sexually assaulted you.” She needed to admit it, talk about it.
“It was nothing,” she protested. “Somebody felt me up. Nothing,” she spat out. Her eyes filled with tears. She was killing him. He brought their linked hands up to his lips so he could brush a soft kiss against her knuckles.
“What are you doing?” Her voice was fierce.
He kissed her knuckles again.
“Gideon, what are you doing?” This time her voice was tremulous.
“I’m kissing the hand of a survivor.”
She dropped her head backward and looked up at the ceiling. A tear clung precariously to her lower lash. “Don’t do this to me. Don’t be nice to me like this. You don’t even like me, remember? Let’s focus on that, not this be-nice-to-Jada moment. I can’t take it, Gideon, I can’t.”
“I more than like you, Jada.” He rasped out the words, regretting every moment where he made her feel unwanted and unloved.
“Don’t, Gideon.”
“Tell me what happened. Don’t let this fester, Angel. You’re safe with me.”
She turned her head. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Am I?”
“Absolutely. From now on, your heart will always be safe with me.”
For what seemed like an eternity she just stared at him, assessing. She must have decided she could trust him. “I was scared, Gideon. I could handle it if they were going to beat me. Gianna was so brave, how could I be any less?”
He waited for her to say more, but when she didn’t he answered. “You’re just as brave as your friend. Braver, even.”
“But I’m not, I stumbled at the first hurdle.” Her voice quavered.
“Tell me,” he coaxed.
“I think I remember you seeing the boot print on my thigh, right?”
Gideon nodded. He didn’t think he could even say yes without wanting to yell.
“He was fine. Butch, I could handle. I mean, he was your garden variety sicko that you find down in the subway every day in Queens. Nothing new.”
Gideon kept his hold on her hand gentle and soft while he ground the toe of his boot so hard into the linoleum it was a wonder it didn’t pop off. “What do you mean, garden variety, Jada? I grew up in the Bay area, I’m not familiar with your New York sickos,” he attempted to tease.
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “You’re just bound and determined to make me talk about this, aren’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Do you feel guilty about it, seeing as how I don’t want to?”
