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Return of the Warrior
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Royal Lockdown
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Julienne stepped quietly out of her room. There was no electricity or running water in the house, but she'd used some of the water she'd hauled from the cistern to wash her face and hands.

Although the sun had almost set, there was a glow at the end of the hall, and she saw that Chase had left a lighted hurricane lamp for her. Picking it up, she found her hand was trembling.

By the time she reached the den, she felt like her heart was going to pound its way through the wall of her chest.

Chase was slumped in one of the armchairs. Hardly making a sound, she glided into the room and took an identical chair a few feet away.

"Thank you for coming back," he said.

"I guess I had to."

"Why?"

"I've waited seven years to tell you what happened the night you left."

He made a low, strangled sound in his throat. "You don't owe me any explanations. We were just kids back then."

Ignoring him, she swallowed hard and went on. "I know you thought I chickened out. Or decided you weren't good enough for me, and I changed my mind about...about making love with you." She said it in a rush, glad that the darkness hid her suddenly hot cheeks. "I was coming to meet you, like we planned. Then I realized my brother, Wyatt, was following me. I knew if he caught us together, he'd...hurt you."

"I could take care of myself."

"Chase, he had a gun. I saw it."

He cursed softly.

She had more to say, but now it was impossible for her to speak above a whisper. "I was coming to find you the next morning. But you...you'd cleared out."

Her hands twisted together in her lap, as she said, "I know you were never sure of what I felt for you. Is that why you didn't stick around?"

She thought he wasn't going to answer. Then his voice cut across the darkness. "That was part of it. Back then, I wasn't all that sure of myself."

Silence stretched between them until she said, "I heard later that you'd joined the army. How was it?"

"Okay. I did my hitch. Then I moved to Lafayette and put the skills I learned from my dad to work. Doing remodeling jobs and restorations of old houses. Like this one."

She was eager to hear more. It sounded as though he'd made a success of his life, and she was so happy for him.

But when he spoke again, it was to change the subject abruptly. "What happened to you after I left?"

"I got a job with an accounting firm."

"And then?"

A simple question. She gave him as simple an answer. "I quit. Then I came back here."

She knew he was waiting for her to elaborate, but she sat with her head bowed.

"Someone...hurt you," he finally said, and she felt a shiver cross her skin.

"Yes," she whispered, wishing her previous behavior hadn't given her away. But then Chase had always been perceptive.

"Can you tell me about it?" he asked softly.

She sucked in a couple of ragged breaths and let them out. Before she could change her mind, she blurted. "I was working late. This guy...this guy...broke into the building. I guess he came to steal stuff. And I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He had a gun. He… Uh...he dragged me into the boss's office. Pulled me down on the rug...and he..." Her voice hitched and she stopped speaking.

"Did he rape you?"

The ugly word hung between them like a razor-sharp sword.

She couldn't speak, only nod as she slid lower in her chair.

"And I was dumb enough to come on to you in the kitchen."

"You didn't know," she managed.

"That doesn't matter. I should have treated you better."

"Chase, it's not you. It's me. I ran away from you because I don't know if I can let a man touch me."

To be continued...



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