Free WickedSeduction by Tina Donahue

knew Marnie had to come to him in her own time.
Whatever troubled her, whoever had or was giving her grief, was a subject she
had to bring up when she was ready no matter his concern for her.
    “If you get uncomfortable, let me know,” he said. “You can
stand up and stretch whenever you want.”
    “I’m good.”
    She was too lovely for words, sharp, sweet, funny and
strong. Tor sensed she was alone in the world, without emotional support except
for Alice. Marnie had said they were friends. He hoped she’d count him as one
after tonight.
    He sketched in silence, getting into the zone as he always
did at Wicked Brand. Every once in a while, the rest of the world intruded. He
heard shouts, laughter, music down on the street, the hum of the refrigerator,
walls popping in the old building, a steady drip from the sink.
    Finally, Marnie’s sighs.
    He’d been going steadily for a half-hour or more, suddenly
realizing the time she’d had to sit still. “You getting tired?”
    “No.”
    “If you want to get up and walk around, you can.”
    “I know. You don’t have to treat me like I’m fragile, okay?”
    He lifted his hands in surrender. “I’m not.”
    She rubbed the back of her neck. “The scars aren’t what you
think.”
    Without meaning to, Tor looked at her arm and leg again, as
he had earlier. “I wasn’t thinking—”
    “I got these when I was twelve,” she said. “Not a couple of
years ago from a guy your cops need to save me from. Everything started when I
was a kid.”
    Started? How about ending? Tor didn’t understand what she
meant. Even though he’d encouraged her to open up, he wasn’t certain what he
should say when Marnie finally told him her story. Hopefully, he’d be able to
offer her the comfort she needed. “Okay. I mean, I’m listening.”
    She didn’t say anything else.
    He figured he should, unable to leave another conversation
dangling. “Were you in some kind of an accident?”
    “No.” She looked at the window rather than at him, a
nightmare only she could see obvious in her eyes. “I got in the way of my
father’s rage. He tried to kill me.”

Chapter Five
     
    Marnie had spoken so quietly, she wasn’t certain whether Tor
had heard her or not. Ever since the attack, she’d kept the secret from
others—only family knew the truth. They never discussed what had happened, as
though to deny those fateful moments would make the past go away and everything
would be magically better.
    “He didn’t mean it,” her mother had always said when
he’d brutalized her. “We have to try harder.”
    Marnie had done everything she could to follow the plan,
afraid to speak or move when her father was around, not knowing what the
repercussions might be. When she and her mother had ultimately survived the
worst of his violence, Marnie had tried to pretend their lives were finally
okay. Hadn’t worked. What he’d set into motion continued to affect them like an
untreated wound festering beneath the surface, destroying everything in its
path.
    “I’m so sorry,” Tor said. He put his sketchpad and chalk on
the counter and went to one knee at Marnie’s side.
    Although tears stung her eyes at his obvious heartache for
her, she refused to cry, having done so too many times over the years. Time for
her to be strong, to heal and change her future. “I know you are, and I
appreciate your concern, but I don’t want to burden you with my problems.”
    “You’re not.” He rubbed his fingers on his jeans, cleaning
them of chalk then cradled her face, his thumb skimming her cheek. “Are you all
right now? Has your father been threatening you?”
    “He died the night he attacked me.”
    Tor’s features went slack with obvious shock.
    Marnie sensed what was going through his mind and answered
the question she figured he wouldn’t ask. “I didn’t kill him in an attempt to
protect myself. By the time he died, I was unconscious from bleeding so
heavily.”
    “My God, what