promise.”
“I keep feeling like I need to wake up.” Ashlyn squeezed her arms around Chloe’s neck.
“I can’t believe this has happened.”
Chloe thought what bothered most women who’d dealt with abuse was that they hadn’t
left the relationship sooner. And Chloe figured Ashlyn would need therapy to overcome
those thoughts—she’d need some way of coming to understand that the abuse had nothing
to do with her and everything to do with Travis.
Many minutes later, Ashlyn drew back and wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to bawl all over you.”
“No apologies necessary.” Chloe took Ashlyn’s hands and smiled. “I’m a friend of Sawyer’s,
which makes us friends, too. Which means crying all over me is what I’m here for.”
Ashlyn returned the smile faintly, yet only one corner of her mouth could move—the
other side of her face was too swollen. Even through the bruises, it was evident that
Ashlyn was a pretty girl with soft, feminine features. The slender-figured young woman
was someone Chloe could see going to an Adam Levine concert.
“There’s my girl,” came a man’s voice from the doorway.
Chloe glanced over her shoulder and spotted Sawyer. A sweet softness shone in his
eyes as he came into the room. He settled next to Ashlyn on the bed. “Are you up for
a few questions?”
Ashlyn wiped the tears off her cheeks. “Guess it’s a must, huh?”
“Someone from the force will come by to take your statement.” Sawyer reached for her
hand, placing both of his around hers. “But you don’t have to do that until you’re
ready. These questions are mine.”
Ashlyn nodded. “Okay.”
“I need you to be honest”—Sawyer’s voice was low, soothing, and reassuring—“and tell
me what happened.”
Ashlyn’s head dropped and a single tear fell onto the yellow blanket over her lap.
“I broke up with him.”
“Was there an argument?” Sawyer asked.
“Not really.” Ashlyn glanced up at her brother. “Travis has been weird, not himself
at all. He’s doing drugs and it makes him different.”
“What kind of drugs?”
“Cocaine.”
Sawyer’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you aren’t involved.”
“I’m not.” Ashlyn shook her head. “I mean, some of my friends have tried it and stuff,
but I’ve never done coke.”
Sawyer regarded her, hard.
Chloe intervened, knowing that it wouldn’t get them anywhere if Sawyer went all big
brother on Ashlyn. “Okay, yes, cocaine is bad news,” she put in, “but let’s move—”
Sawyer ignored her attempt to change the subject. “What drugs have you done?” Sawyer
demanded of his sister.
Chloe rolled her eyes. The big brother
would
be annoying.
Ashlyn sank against the pillow behind her, folding her arms. Her open eye scowled
at Sawyer. “I’ve smoked some weed before. But not a lot or anything, just a few times
at a party. A puff or two.”
Sawyer frowned. “Ashlyn—”
“Oh, please, what’s a little pot?” Chloe retorted. “I mean, seriously, who hasn’t
tried a joint at some point in their life?”
“I haven’t,” Sawyer growled.
“Well, that’s because you’re Mr. Goody Two-shoes.” Chloe smiled at him. “I doubt you’ve
done anything wrong in your life. Like, ever.”
Ashlyn laughed and then grasped her side, groaning. “Ow. Don’t be funny. That hurts.”
Sawyer glared at Chloe. “Let’s not get started on the list of illegal things you’ve
done, Chloe.”
Chloe winked at Ashlyn, who smiled again. Unlike a few minutes earlier, this time
the smile reached her eyes.
Sawyer turned his frown from Chloe to Ashlyn. When he spotted her smile, his tension
eased a bit.
Good, Chloe thought.
He’d evidently understood that Chloe had been intending to lighten the mood. He turned
to Ashlyn, his expression more relaxed. “As you were saying, you think Travis is doing
drugs, and…”
Ashlyn shrugged against her
“I keep feeling like I need to wake up.” Ashlyn squeezed her arms around Chloe’s neck.
“I can’t believe this has happened.”
Chloe thought what bothered most women who’d dealt with abuse was that they hadn’t
left the relationship sooner. And Chloe figured Ashlyn would need therapy to overcome
those thoughts—she’d need some way of coming to understand that the abuse had nothing
to do with her and everything to do with Travis.
Many minutes later, Ashlyn drew back and wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to bawl all over you.”
“No apologies necessary.” Chloe took Ashlyn’s hands and smiled. “I’m a friend of Sawyer’s,
which makes us friends, too. Which means crying all over me is what I’m here for.”
Ashlyn returned the smile faintly, yet only one corner of her mouth could move—the
other side of her face was too swollen. Even through the bruises, it was evident that
Ashlyn was a pretty girl with soft, feminine features. The slender-figured young woman
was someone Chloe could see going to an Adam Levine concert.
“There’s my girl,” came a man’s voice from the doorway.
Chloe glanced over her shoulder and spotted Sawyer. A sweet softness shone in his
eyes as he came into the room. He settled next to Ashlyn on the bed. “Are you up for
a few questions?”
Ashlyn wiped the tears off her cheeks. “Guess it’s a must, huh?”
“Someone from the force will come by to take your statement.” Sawyer reached for her
hand, placing both of his around hers. “But you don’t have to do that until you’re
ready. These questions are mine.”
Ashlyn nodded. “Okay.”
“I need you to be honest”—Sawyer’s voice was low, soothing, and reassuring—“and tell
me what happened.”
Ashlyn’s head dropped and a single tear fell onto the yellow blanket over her lap.
“I broke up with him.”
“Was there an argument?” Sawyer asked.
“Not really.” Ashlyn glanced up at her brother. “Travis has been weird, not himself
at all. He’s doing drugs and it makes him different.”
“What kind of drugs?”
“Cocaine.”
Sawyer’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you aren’t involved.”
“I’m not.” Ashlyn shook her head. “I mean, some of my friends have tried it and stuff,
but I’ve never done coke.”
Sawyer regarded her, hard.
Chloe intervened, knowing that it wouldn’t get them anywhere if Sawyer went all big
brother on Ashlyn. “Okay, yes, cocaine is bad news,” she put in, “but let’s move—”
Sawyer ignored her attempt to change the subject. “What drugs have you done?” Sawyer
demanded of his sister.
Chloe rolled her eyes. The big brother
would
be annoying.
Ashlyn sank against the pillow behind her, folding her arms. Her open eye scowled
at Sawyer. “I’ve smoked some weed before. But not a lot or anything, just a few times
at a party. A puff or two.”
Sawyer frowned. “Ashlyn—”
“Oh, please, what’s a little pot?” Chloe retorted. “I mean, seriously, who hasn’t
tried a joint at some point in their life?”
“I haven’t,” Sawyer growled.
“Well, that’s because you’re Mr. Goody Two-shoes.” Chloe smiled at him. “I doubt you’ve
done anything wrong in your life. Like, ever.”
Ashlyn laughed and then grasped her side, groaning. “Ow. Don’t be funny. That hurts.”
Sawyer glared at Chloe. “Let’s not get started on the list of illegal things you’ve
done, Chloe.”
Chloe winked at Ashlyn, who smiled again. Unlike a few minutes earlier, this time
the smile reached her eyes.
Sawyer turned his frown from Chloe to Ashlyn. When he spotted her smile, his tension
eased a bit.
Good, Chloe thought.
He’d evidently understood that Chloe had been intending to lighten the mood. He turned
to Ashlyn, his expression more relaxed. “As you were saying, you think Travis is doing
drugs, and…”
Ashlyn shrugged against her
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