Read Online In Zach's Arms (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 1) by Kori David - Free Book Online
Authors: Kori David
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blue jeans and a silky emerald-green tank top that showed off glimpses of creamy skin between the jeans and the top when she moved. Her long blonde hair hung loose around her shoulders, shining brightly in the sun.
“What happened to her?” Jesse asked.
“Her father was a son of a bitch. I don’t think he was physically abusive, and if he was, it was toward her mother only. But he was emotionally intimidating and controlling. Told them when they could speak, when they could eat, and what they could wear. And her mother just went along with it. If Beth argued, then she was demeaned in the worst way.”
Zach shook his head and had to unclench his fists. To this day, he wished he could have found a way to get her out of that house sooner. But they’d both been kids.
“He used to lock Beth in her room if he thought she was getting smart with him. She wasn’t allowed to go anywhere but school and home. She couldn’t watch TV or have a radio, nothing but schoolwork and recreational reading from the Bible. No school events and, certainly, no dating.”
“That’s crazy,” Jesse said.
“She has nightmares about him. She told me that, from the time she hit high school, her father was convinced that she was going to turn into a whore. He nailed her windows shut and locked her inside at night to make sure she couldn’t sneak out. Beth was so traumatized by that bastard that she wouldn’t even look at anyone at school or talk to them. I know she thinks she’s a coward for not standing up to him, but she’s got more strength than she realizes.”
Zach reached up and rubbed the tension from his neck, flexing his shoulders. “She’s terrified of marriage and kids. I think she’s afraid history could repeat itself.”
“So what’s your plan of attack?” Jesse asked.
“I’ve got her thinking about moving in with me now. But I’m going to convince her to marry me, that I’m not going to start controlling her like her father did, and that we’re meant for each other,” Zach said with a shrug. “I figure if I keep her busy, happy and in bed for the next fifty or sixty years, by the time she knows what hit her, she’ll be too old to leave me.”
Jesse’s laugh wrung a wry smile out of him. He wasn’t convinced either, but he had to try.
“That’s a helluva plan, my friend.”
“I am adapting, improvising and overcoming.”
“Ooh rah,” Jesse finished.
***
“Did you get everything you wanted?”
Elizabeth nodded. “I loved the little boutiques and I was surprised that none of them were overly expensive.”
“Flagstaff is a great town.”
“Detective Wolfe called earlier. I forgot to tell you.”
Zach looked over at her as he drove them home. The sun was setting and streaks of orange and pink lit the sky. Jesse had treated them both to lunch and dinner in town and she was full and happy with the quiet ride and gorgeous sunset.
“What did he say?” he asked.
“That I could go home.”
The only sign that Zach even heard her was his hand tightening on the steering wheel. A tick started in his jaw, but he didn’t say anything. She hadn’t wanted to spoil the fun today with this.
“I told him that I didn’t want to return until they had the suspect in custody. I wouldn’t feel safe otherwise.”
“You’ll always be safe with me.”
She sighed. “I know, but that isn’t my problem and you know it.”
“I think it is. Deep down, you’re afraid to trust anyone.”
“But I trust you.”
Zach shook his head. “You trust me with your safety and with your body, but you don’t trust me enough to give me anything else.”
She knew he was talking about more than just moving in together. They were essentially living together now, at least in the short term. He was talking about much scarier things than co-habitation, and she was trying to be honest about her feelings.
“Marriage isn’t exactly a great thing these days. The divorce rate is more than fifty percent.”
“Those
“What happened to her?” Jesse asked.
“Her father was a son of a bitch. I don’t think he was physically abusive, and if he was, it was toward her mother only. But he was emotionally intimidating and controlling. Told them when they could speak, when they could eat, and what they could wear. And her mother just went along with it. If Beth argued, then she was demeaned in the worst way.”
Zach shook his head and had to unclench his fists. To this day, he wished he could have found a way to get her out of that house sooner. But they’d both been kids.
“He used to lock Beth in her room if he thought she was getting smart with him. She wasn’t allowed to go anywhere but school and home. She couldn’t watch TV or have a radio, nothing but schoolwork and recreational reading from the Bible. No school events and, certainly, no dating.”
“That’s crazy,” Jesse said.
“She has nightmares about him. She told me that, from the time she hit high school, her father was convinced that she was going to turn into a whore. He nailed her windows shut and locked her inside at night to make sure she couldn’t sneak out. Beth was so traumatized by that bastard that she wouldn’t even look at anyone at school or talk to them. I know she thinks she’s a coward for not standing up to him, but she’s got more strength than she realizes.”
Zach reached up and rubbed the tension from his neck, flexing his shoulders. “She’s terrified of marriage and kids. I think she’s afraid history could repeat itself.”
“So what’s your plan of attack?” Jesse asked.
“I’ve got her thinking about moving in with me now. But I’m going to convince her to marry me, that I’m not going to start controlling her like her father did, and that we’re meant for each other,” Zach said with a shrug. “I figure if I keep her busy, happy and in bed for the next fifty or sixty years, by the time she knows what hit her, she’ll be too old to leave me.”
Jesse’s laugh wrung a wry smile out of him. He wasn’t convinced either, but he had to try.
“That’s a helluva plan, my friend.”
“I am adapting, improvising and overcoming.”
“Ooh rah,” Jesse finished.
***
“Did you get everything you wanted?”
Elizabeth nodded. “I loved the little boutiques and I was surprised that none of them were overly expensive.”
“Flagstaff is a great town.”
“Detective Wolfe called earlier. I forgot to tell you.”
Zach looked over at her as he drove them home. The sun was setting and streaks of orange and pink lit the sky. Jesse had treated them both to lunch and dinner in town and she was full and happy with the quiet ride and gorgeous sunset.
“What did he say?” he asked.
“That I could go home.”
The only sign that Zach even heard her was his hand tightening on the steering wheel. A tick started in his jaw, but he didn’t say anything. She hadn’t wanted to spoil the fun today with this.
“I told him that I didn’t want to return until they had the suspect in custody. I wouldn’t feel safe otherwise.”
“You’ll always be safe with me.”
She sighed. “I know, but that isn’t my problem and you know it.”
“I think it is. Deep down, you’re afraid to trust anyone.”
“But I trust you.”
Zach shook his head. “You trust me with your safety and with your body, but you don’t trust me enough to give me anything else.”
She knew he was talking about more than just moving in together. They were essentially living together now, at least in the short term. He was talking about much scarier things than co-habitation, and she was trying to be honest about her feelings.
“Marriage isn’t exactly a great thing these days. The divorce rate is more than fifty percent.”
“Those
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