Free A Rescued Heart (Rescued Heart Romance) by Natalie Replogle

their lack of action when they weren’t in the circumstance. After being in a home that showed the signs, their entrapment was understandable.
    Some women were simply embarrassed. They thought they knew this man they loved but were rudely awakened when their prince charming became a dud. A number of women kept quiet because they felt like they didn’t deserve better. Whether their self-esteem was shot or never there to begin with, it was the best they thought they could do. They also didn’t want to be alone or felt they couldn’t support themselves, so they mistakenly decided to just stay in the relationship. Several women were so in love, the abuse didn’t matter. In most cases remorse followed the abuse, so when the apologies started, they replaced their fear with affection and hope that the abuser would change.
    Sadly, some women thought the abuse had been their fault. They put the blame on themselves because they didn’t do what they were told or because they made him angry and egged him on to the violence. They put the blame solely on themselves. The bottom line was that their actions deserved the beatings.
    The last scenario was the hardest to swallow because the majority of women were afraid to leave or tell someone. They were scared for their life or scared they would get caught leaving and endure an even harsher punishment. Some were in fear their children would suffer and be hurt in the backlash of the anger. If they took the beating, it meant that they spared their children. It was a love wrongly misplaced and confused.
    Ava reached the park and took a detour from walking back to the school. The playground appeared fairly empty. She sat on the swings and tried to unwind. The light breeze made the sweat on her forehead cool while she leaned her head against the chains. She wanted to talk with someone, get the frustration off her chest. One person came to mind. Without weighing the consequences and what the undercurrent of her actions meant, she took her cell phone out of her back pocket and dialed.
     

     
    Matt drove east out of the city, doing his best to keep at the speed limit while talking himself out of turning on his lights for an excuse to go faster. The call from Ava came as he left the station, which put them on opposite sides of the city. Ava sounded upset but didn’t elaborate on why. She had simply asked if he could meet her at the park by her school.
    Their first date had gone well besides the drama at the coffeehouse … or so he thought. When he held her in his arms, he never wanted to let her go. But when she stiffened in his embrace, he needed to. Whatever hidden demons clung to her, pushing her wasn’t the answer. From the few words they shared on the phone he hoped she wasn’t upset about them. At least Ava didn’t say the four words every guy dreaded hearing—“We need to talk.” However, he would feel better once he saw her.
    He handled his car with ease as he approached the park and found a parking spot near the front. About thirty yards from the playground, he spotted her sitting on one of the swings, kicking stones around with her shoe. She looked lost in thought and didn’t hear him approach.
    “Hey,” Matt said as he wedged his frame into the swing next to hers.
    Ava looked over. The tears glistening on her eyelashes took him off guard.
    “Hi.”
    Seeing her didn’t put his mind at ease and he began to second guess himself about why she had called him here.
    “Are you okay?”
    “Yes … no … I don’t know.” Her last words were articulated in frustration. She pushed the swing back and forth slowly, her feet never leaving the ground. “I think one of my student’s mom is being abused by her live-in boyfriend.”
    He realized the redness in her face didn’t come from the warm weather, but from being upset. Her shoulders slumped forward as if weights had been placed on her. She was obviously involved in the situation emotionally, so he needed to keep a level