to boil over. He knew where the bastard lived. It wouldn’t take much to grab a couple of buddies and beat the living shit out of him again. A new meaning to “gay bashing.”
His hand had nearly healed. He imagined Alex had two great shiners the next day, and he suspected he’d broken the asshole’s nose. He’d never tell Tyler how close he came to strangling the guy. It would have been so easy. Alex was nearly unconscious when he finally stopped pounding him. He kicked him in the balls several times, that much he remembered. And in the ribs, giving him a taste of his own medicine.
Fucker.
He studied Nevvie as she shifted in sleep, her hand resting on his thigh. She was so sweet. How could anyone but a sadistic asshole want to hurt her? An hour later he was nearly asleep when she moaned and jumped. He instantly enveloped her in his arms, holding her tightly before she started swinging.
She stiffened, fighting at first, then relaxing when he murmured in her ear, “It’s okay, Nevvie, I’ve got you, sugar. You’re safe, you’re okay.”
She broke down, sobbing and clinging to him. He rocked her, soothing her. She finally drifted off with his arms around her and slept until morning.
* * * *
Nevvie didn’t want to leave the house while she still looked like hell. The first day, Tyler had scrounged some of their clothes, T-shirts and shorts for her to wear around the house. Then he purchased a few basics in her size to tide her over until he could take her shopping.
Nearly two weeks after the attack, Tyler coaxed her out of the house. He loaded her in the Lexus and drove across town to WestShorePlaza. Tyler didn’t want to risk running into Alex or his cronies at University Square Mall so close to home. Tyler wasn’t afraid of Alex for his sake, but without Thomas to help protect Nevvie, he wouldn’t risk her safety.
She hesitated in the parking lot. “Tyler, I can’t afford—”
“Shush.” He held the car door and extended his hand. She finally took it, and he led her inside to Macy’s. She balked at the doorway, but he insisted.
“Come along, love.” He leaned in close, his mouth to her ear. “Please, let us do this. You’re our girl, and we want you to have whatever you need. Trust me, we can well afford it.”
She reluctantly followed him through the store. First stop, lingerie. He found a sales clerk and instructed her to get whatever Nevvie wanted. Of course she gravitated to functional versus fun. Before they finished in that department he looked Nevvie in the eyes.
“Sweetheart, you need to get something else.”
“What?”
He dropped his voice. “Pick some fun things. We want you to feel good about yourself.”
He knew it was a huge risk, but she nodded. The sales clerk helped her pick out a few more bras and panties, these with lace and less material. He flashed Nevvie an okay sign, and she smiled.
She wanted shorts and jeans, and while he agreed he also nudged her to the more feminine dresses, slacks and skirts. Today wasn’t the time to convince her she needed a flirty sundress, but he wanted her to dress like the beautiful woman she was. She needed things for home as well as work clothes for Thomas’ office.
This, Tyler knew, was the first of many shopping trips. The next time he wanted Thomas with them, because Tyler knew with the combined weight of their approval she couldn’t refuse. He’d also send her shopping alone with Thomas so he could pick things for her.
Last stop, shoes. Sneakers, of course. While he tried to nudge her into a stunning pair of stilettos that nearly made him hard just picturing her in them, she preferred a pair of dressy flats. He also talked her into loafers that went well with her slacks and jeans, and a cute pair of sandals she decided to wear out of the store.
That was enough for one day. He didn’t want to overload her. They lunched at Olive Garden, then at home he sat cross-legged on her bed while she modeled her new
His hand had nearly healed. He imagined Alex had two great shiners the next day, and he suspected he’d broken the asshole’s nose. He’d never tell Tyler how close he came to strangling the guy. It would have been so easy. Alex was nearly unconscious when he finally stopped pounding him. He kicked him in the balls several times, that much he remembered. And in the ribs, giving him a taste of his own medicine.
Fucker.
He studied Nevvie as she shifted in sleep, her hand resting on his thigh. She was so sweet. How could anyone but a sadistic asshole want to hurt her? An hour later he was nearly asleep when she moaned and jumped. He instantly enveloped her in his arms, holding her tightly before she started swinging.
She stiffened, fighting at first, then relaxing when he murmured in her ear, “It’s okay, Nevvie, I’ve got you, sugar. You’re safe, you’re okay.”
She broke down, sobbing and clinging to him. He rocked her, soothing her. She finally drifted off with his arms around her and slept until morning.
* * * *
Nevvie didn’t want to leave the house while she still looked like hell. The first day, Tyler had scrounged some of their clothes, T-shirts and shorts for her to wear around the house. Then he purchased a few basics in her size to tide her over until he could take her shopping.
Nearly two weeks after the attack, Tyler coaxed her out of the house. He loaded her in the Lexus and drove across town to WestShorePlaza. Tyler didn’t want to risk running into Alex or his cronies at University Square Mall so close to home. Tyler wasn’t afraid of Alex for his sake, but without Thomas to help protect Nevvie, he wouldn’t risk her safety.
She hesitated in the parking lot. “Tyler, I can’t afford—”
“Shush.” He held the car door and extended his hand. She finally took it, and he led her inside to Macy’s. She balked at the doorway, but he insisted.
“Come along, love.” He leaned in close, his mouth to her ear. “Please, let us do this. You’re our girl, and we want you to have whatever you need. Trust me, we can well afford it.”
She reluctantly followed him through the store. First stop, lingerie. He found a sales clerk and instructed her to get whatever Nevvie wanted. Of course she gravitated to functional versus fun. Before they finished in that department he looked Nevvie in the eyes.
“Sweetheart, you need to get something else.”
“What?”
He dropped his voice. “Pick some fun things. We want you to feel good about yourself.”
He knew it was a huge risk, but she nodded. The sales clerk helped her pick out a few more bras and panties, these with lace and less material. He flashed Nevvie an okay sign, and she smiled.
She wanted shorts and jeans, and while he agreed he also nudged her to the more feminine dresses, slacks and skirts. Today wasn’t the time to convince her she needed a flirty sundress, but he wanted her to dress like the beautiful woman she was. She needed things for home as well as work clothes for Thomas’ office.
This, Tyler knew, was the first of many shopping trips. The next time he wanted Thomas with them, because Tyler knew with the combined weight of their approval she couldn’t refuse. He’d also send her shopping alone with Thomas so he could pick things for her.
Last stop, shoes. Sneakers, of course. While he tried to nudge her into a stunning pair of stilettos that nearly made him hard just picturing her in them, she preferred a pair of dressy flats. He also talked her into loafers that went well with her slacks and jeans, and a cute pair of sandals she decided to wear out of the store.
That was enough for one day. He didn’t want to overload her. They lunched at Olive Garden, then at home he sat cross-legged on her bed while she modeled her new
Similar Books
