Free Trusting Love by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

badly she wanted to believe his words and promises of protection and safety.
    She shook her head. Steven had promised her the same thing. Whenever they went out, if another guy hit on her or tried something, he took care of it. He acted possessive, he promised to always protect her and put her first. He didn’t. He exposed her to Collin. Offered her up against her will.
    She felt a hand on her knee and she jumped up and dropped the paper plate of food on the floor as her stomach wrenched with sickness. Her eyes were glazed over as she looked at the stunned expression on Nevin’s face. She felt the food coming back up as he reached for her and she slapped his hands away, covered her mouth, and went running.
    She got to the bathroom, slammed the door closed, and emptied her stomach into the toilet. She gagged and cried and lost her breath, feeling like she was going to choke and wishing she could be numb to the feelings, to the memories in her head.
    She didn’t hear the door open but felt the comforting hand against her back, caressing her, and a hand moving her hair from her face as she continued to gag until she was exhausted and spent. In her mind, she imagined the night she was attacked. She cried.
    “Easy, baby, nice calm breaths. You’re okay now.” Nevin?
    She tried to move but he held her against his chest as he sat on the tile floor, legs wide and sticking out as he leaned against the wall with her between his legs.
    “Here,” she heard Milton’s voice and then felt the cool washcloth against her heated skin. She was perspiring and felt clammy and so tired.
    “Why are you still here? Just go. Leave me, please,” she whispered as more tears rolled down her cheeks.
    He continued to caress her back and her hair.
    “We’re not going anywhere. You’re going to see that this is the real deal. We want to take care of you and take all that pain you have bottled up and take it away. Just let it go and we’ll take it all away.” He continued to caress her until she felt her mind drifting off and started to ask herself if they were real, and if they really could be trusted after all.
     
    * * * *
     
    Nevin continued to caress Carina’s hair as she calmed her breathing and stopped shaking. His heart ached for her and he didn’t even fully understand what happened.
    “Oh, God, it’s probably so late and you have work early in the morning,” she said and began to lift up.
    He helped her to a sitting position and she looked so fragile and weak. She lowered those gorgeous blue eyes of hers and pushed her hair behind her ear while leaning on her palm.
    “I’m so sorry.”
    “Shhh. Don’t even say that to me. To us,” he said and she looked up to find his brother Milton standing there.
    “I feel so stupid.”
    “Don’t,” Milton said to her. She looked up and her eyes filled with tears but none fell.
    She took an unsteady breath and then knelt on both knees, tucking her feet under her. She placed her hands on her thighs and looked at Nevin and then Milton.
    “I’m tired. I’m so damn tired. My head is pounding.”
    “Of course you are. It was a long day, sweetie,” Milton told her.
    Nevin reached out and cupped her cheek. He stroked her lower lip and smiled at her.
    “A good night’s sleep will help.”
    She shook her head.
    “That’s not what I mean, Dr. Cortland.”
    He squinted his eyes at her and she swallowed then held his gaze. “Nevin.” He gave a small smirk in celebration.
    “Tonight I said some things. I...”
    She lowered her head and he tilted her chin up toward him.
    “You’ll tell us everything. Soon. I know you will because deep down inside, deep in your gut, never mind in your heart, you know we’re good men. Trustworthy men.”
    “Maybe it’s me who isn’t good enough for you.”
    “Nonsense,” Jack stated, joining them along with Jesse.
    “We can talk later in the day. We’ll be here to work on the window and then basement after we catch some sleep. How about noon