Free Old Ghosts: Gypsy Riders MC by Honey Palomino Page B

said.
    “You have no idea,” I said warily.
    “So you were a teacher there, too?”
    “Yes. I taught first grade. I loved it.”
    “It must’ve been difficult to leave if you loved it so much,” he said.
    “Well, yeah it was difficult to leave my students so abruptly.”
    “Abuptly?”
    Shit. I was giving away too much, too soon, I thought. But I knew I would tell him eventually, so it was probably best to just get it over with now. What did it really matter?
    “Yes. I had to leave quickly,” I said, my voice dropping. “I was um…well, I was fleeing an unsafe situation.”
    “I see. Are you safe now?” he asked.
    His question caught me off guard. Was I? I thought I was, even with the possibility that Todd might find me, if he came looking for me, that is. It was also possible that he hated me so much at this point, that he would hopefully never want anything to do with me again. Unfortunately, I was expecting the former, and hoping for the latter.
    “I think so, yes. At the moment, I am. I was in a relationship…with a cop. A Mormon cop, actually,” I paused, watching for his reaction.
    He smiled, looking at me calmly across the table, not flinching or reacting at all.
    “Are you a Mormon, too?” he asked.
    I laughed. I hadn’t been to church once since I left, and I had absolutely no desire to go.
    “Hell, no. I only went to church for the food.”
    “So what happened?” he asked, laughing with me.
    “Things went south pretty quickly after we met, and I stayed way too long, but one night - well - um…,” I stopped, the memories flooding in.
    “What happened, Daisy?” his brown eyes darkened again, and I saw his grip tighten on his beer.
    “Well, Todd has a temper. I was used to it. When he got angry, he would threaten to hit me, raise his fist to me, that sort of thing. But he never hit me, in all those years. Until the night before I left.”
    “The fucker hit you? Doesn’t sound very Godly to me,” he said, traces of rage in his usual gentle voice.
    I sighed. Out with it, Daisy.
    “Yeah. He almost broke my nose. I waited until he left, and the next morning I got in my truck and drove away. I never looked back.”
    “I see. That’s good that you left. How long ago was this?”
    “Just a few months,” I replied quietly.
    “And have you heard from this asshole since then?” he asked, the rage in his voice clearly escalating.
    “No. I changed my number. Didn’t leave a note or anything, I just disappeared. I did call my school and tell them, and they were wonderful, but I didn’t tell them where I was going either. I’m sure by now they know, since the school here had to contact them for a reference. But ever since I left, things have been peaceful. No sign of Todd. At least not yet. He’s probably so angry with me for leaving that he doesn’t ever want to talk to me again.”
    “I doubt that. Most men like that don’t take too kindly to being deserted.”
    “No, I suppose they don’t.”
    “Daisy, listen to me. There’s not much I hate more in this world than pricks that abuse women and children. In fact, you could say I have a particular disdain for them.”
    “I see,” I said.
    “I want you to know something, okay?”
    “Sure, what?”
    “I know we don’t know each other very well, hell you really don’t know me at all. But if anything happens - if he calls or shows up - I want you to call me, okay? I’ll be there to help you out in a heartbeat, and you can rest assured that if I ever run across this prick, he won’t be bothering you again.”
    “Um…okay. Thanks, Mike. If it helps to ease your mind, I did buy a gun, and I’m taking self defense classes. I stay aware of my surroundings at all times. There’s not much more I can do. But I greatly appreciate your offer.”
    I was touched. What a man. I was liking Mike more and more as the night wore on, and as I watched him quietly seething across from me, feeling protective towards me, a woman he hardly knew