Free A Shot in the Dark by Christine D'Abo Page A

cause problems with the victim’s memory. The woman had tried to get Paige to admit she was being abused, but she couldn’t come to terms with it to admit the truth. She’d asked for the pain, got off on it, yet Rick never knew when enough was enough.
    She hadn’t left him that night. It had taken her two weeks to build up enough nerve to get her things and get safe.
    None of this could she adequately put into words to tell Carter. She knew he’d react the way Ian would if she’d ever told him. Shit, the only person who knew the truth was Sadie, and she’d been ready to set fire to Rick in his sleep.
    “You were late?” Carter relaxed his hand and laid it flat on his thigh. Paige wasn’t fooled into thinking he wasn’t still furious.
    All she could do was tell him what she remembered as plainly as possible. “I was late and it had ruined Rick’s plans. He’d had tickets to something and we weren’t going to be able to make it. He punched the back of my head and knocked me out.”
    Carter somehow stiffened more. “I’ll kill him.”
    “You’ll go nowhere near him. Rick has been out of my life for a long time now. I’m a different woman from the girl I was when I was with him. I know more about the lifestyle. I know what my rights are, what I like and what I don’t like. I have a voice and I’m not afraid to use it. I’m not weak.”
    “No, you’re not. But you’re not over this either.” Leaning down, Carter framed her face with his hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “If you were, going to Mavericks wouldn’t have been as traumatic for you.”
    “I was scared he would find out I was getting back into it and would show up.” She chuckled, the sick feeling in her stomach threatening to come back. “Guess I was right.”
    “He won’t lay a finger on you.”
    In that moment, Paige believed Carter was capable of doing bad things to a person.
    “I swear I’ll do everything I can, talk to everyone I know to make sure you can go wherever you want without this fucker bothering you.”
    Normally, such a statement Paige would either brush off as being optimistic or foolhardy. But by the combination of absolute belief and the quiet steel in his personality, Paige knew Carter could live up to every single promise he made her.
    “Thank you,” she whispered.
    The kiss came out of nowhere. One moment they were staring at each other, and the next he had her pulled against his chest, his mouth devouring hers. Her body ignited as his hands roamed down her back to cup her ass and pull her onto his lap. Carter shifted to kiss a path across her jaw to her throat and down until he reached her collarbone, where he nipped her.
    “I swear no one will touch you.” He licked the hollow of her throat and cupped her breast. “You can walk out of my life tomorrow and I’ll still make sure no one ever hurts you again.” He pulled back, brushing his nose against hers. “Let me prove it to you?”
    “Okay, okay, yes.”

Chapter Six
     
    P aige didn’t know what Carter had in mind when he carried her to the bedroom. She couldn’t speak, even to give him directions, leaving him to push every door open with his foot until he found the right one. When he dropped her on the bed he pointed at her.
    “Stay.”
    There wasn’t the malice she’d grown used to over the years, a simple command and the promise of pleasure. Paige let her head fall back against the mattress as he moved around the room. Scarves she hardly ever wore were scooped up from their home in her closet to be deposited beside her on the bed.
    “Safe word?”
    Unlike their first time, Paige knew she had to give him a real answer. “Apples.”
    “No chance you’ll be calling that one out mistakenly.” He picked up a blue silk scarf and ran it over his palm. “Strip.”
    The shirt came off with ease, though her jeans caused her grief. She managed to toe off her socks before pulling her underwear down and her bra off. Being naked in front of