Free Stolen Heart by Sawyer Bennett

softly.  Goosebumps broke out on his arms.  “I do enjoy your touch.  But I’ll tell you when and where you can touch me.”
    Stepping back from Kieran, she reiterated.  “Now is not the time.”  Then she winked at him and took off walking again.
     
     

CHAPTER 9
     
    Sheila Williams lived about another ten blocks away and Annika used that time to explain her situation to Kieran.  She told him it would be a quick in and out.  Sheila’s boyfriend would be gone for the night, she would only bring with her a small bag, and they’d escort her to Saving Grace .
    Didn’t sound too complicated to Kieran.  “What happens when her boyfriend comes home and finds her gone?”
    “He’s a real mean son of a bitch.  He’ll go crazy. She tried to leave him once about a year ago.  She went to stay with a friend.  He beat her so bad she was in the hospital for a week.”
    Kieran was astounded. “Why isn’t this fuck-wad in jail?”
    “Because Sheila refused to press charges. He threatened to kill her and she believed him.  So she got out of the hospital, and went home to him.  It’s the pattern an abused woman goes through.  A vicious cycle.”
    “Is there any way he can find her at Saving Grace ?”
    Annika shook her head.  “No.  Our shelter is private and not disclosed to anyone involved in the system. I’m actually surprised you were able to find information on it.  I have it hidden under so many fake corporations, it should have been undetectable.”
    Kieran heard the worry in Annika’s voice and wanted to reassure her.  “Don’t worry about it, Annika.  I only was able to find the information because of the vast financial resources I have, plus a little magic.  Saving Grace is safe.”
    Annika looked at him skeptically and didn’t say anything.  He saw that her brow was furrowed with worry.
    “Are you expecting any trouble from her boyfriend tonight?”
    Annika shrugged her shoulders.  “Probably not.  When he goes out for the night, he usually stays gone. But if he does show up, he sometimes has a posse of thugs with him so be prepared.”
    Kieran didn’t say anything but he wasn’t worried.  In fact, he’d been so stuck in his boring life lately, he’d probably welcome a fight tonight.
    Finally, they arrived at Sheila and Monty’s apartment.  It was in a fairly bad section of the city.  There was garbage littering the street and iron bars on most of the windows.  After walking up two flights of stairs, Annika knocked on Sheila’s door.  After a few moments, it opened just a crack.  Kieran saw just a sliver of a black woman’s face peeking out, but he didn’t miss the horrendous bruise that covered the eye looking at them.
    “It’s me, Sheila.  Open up.”
    The door closed and Kieran could hear the inside chain being unlatched.  Then the door swung open and Kieran sucked in his breath.
    Sheila Williams’ face was a patchwork of bruises and cuts.  Both eyes were blackened, with burst blood vessels in the white areas.  Blood was crusted in both of her nostrils and there was a cut running straight down the middle of her bottom lip.  Her right cheek sported a cut that was gaping open but it wasn’t actively bleeding.  Her eyes held such misery and sadness, it made him want to weep. And one thing Kieran was not…a weeper.
    Kieran’s blood started to boil.  He couldn’t even imagine a man doing this to a woman.  Women were meant to be cherished, not battered.
    Sheila took one look at Annika, who opened her arms up.  The beaten woman burst into tears as she flung herself into Annika’s embrace.
    Annika hugged Sheila tight, rubbing her back and murmuring soothing words.  After a few moments, Sheila pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  She looked at Kieran with suspicion.
    “Sheila. This is a friend of mine, Kieran Dunne.  He came to help get you moved.”
    “Hi, Sheila.”
    She didn’t say anything but just nodded at Kieran.  She probably