Free Burning Barriers (Barriers Series Book 3) by Sara Shirley Page B

granting that wish a few weeks after I found out about him from Sam.”
    I stopped for a second to take an extra long sip of my white wine again, allowing the cool liquid to coat my scratchy throat. This time I decided I should probably pace myself a little bit. I already had some wine with dinner earlier and then the couple at Jake’s. My head wasn’t swimming yet, but with the altitude here, I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle my drinks as I could back home.
    My gaze lingered on the crackling fireplace in front of us as my lips parted from the rim of the wine glass. Running my tongue along the crease of my lips, I focused on how I should start the rest of my story. I had explained this to more than enough people since the night it happened. Why telling Jake had become one of the most difficult things to get out, I didn’t know. It was as though the moment I let it all go he’d see my wounds beyond my scar. It would be like I had let him back into my heart and body completely. He would know everything, and we would be even closer than ever.
    I knew he still hadn’t told me everything in his past, and eventually he probably would. Although I’m pretty sure nothing, and I mean nothing, could surmount what was about to leave my lips. I glanced back at my nearly empty glass of wine and returned it to my lips, tilting my head back to let the remainder of the cool fluid flow down my throat.
    Screw it. I leaned forward and grabbed the bottle of wine, carefully placing my empty glass onto the wooden tray that sat on top of the leather ottoman. I uncorked the bottle and looked back at Jake who curiously stared at me but didn’t judge. He only nodded.
    I raised the bottle and tipped my head to him. “Judgment-free zone?”
    “I’ve never judged you a day in your life, Luce, and I’m not going to start tonight. Chug away,” Jake casually stated as he leaned back further into the sofa.
    Bringing the rim of the bottle to my lips, I let it all go. As distastefully as that appeared, I needed to be completely relaxed in order to recall that night as Jake listened to every word. Within seconds, the bottle was empty, and I placed it beside my already empty glass on the tray.
    Sigh.
    “Jake, if there is one thing you need to know before I tell you this, it’s that I came back here because my parents thought I needed to ‘recover’ or something to that extent. I wasn’t fully on board with the idea, but I’m glad I finally came back. I just hate thinking it took nearly dying at the hands of a monster to do it.” My eyes began to gloss over and blur just as I felt a warm tear fall from the corner of my eye. I wiped it away with my finger and stood before Jake, pulling up my sundress slightly. I needed to look at Jake as I told this. I hadn’t needed anyone this badly since Sam and I recounted that night before I left town.
    Jake eyed me suspiciously until I placed my bare knees upon either side of his legs as I lowered myself onto his lap. All sexual tendencies were gone; he knew me better than anyone. When we were kids, this was how I sought out comfort from him.
    He wrapped his arms around my waist, and his fingers rubbed along the small of my back. My head suddenly flooded with emotion, and I knew I was completely at ease. The wine clearly affected my emotions more than I thought possible, or just having to say all this out loud to Jake was causing more pain than I could imagine. Jake sat there, silently waiting for me to find my voice, and I knew I needed to do this.
    Shutting my eyes, I cleared my throat, and I was ready to recount the story of that night.
    “I won’t go into all the details, but if it weren’t for me constantly trying to find myself through sexual hookups, that night might never have happened. Or maybe it would have regardless. Stone was a monster looking for revenge on Sam, who put him in prison three years ago for nearly killing her. Somehow, he found her again and used me to get to her. I slept