Read Online Safe Harbor by Tymber Dalton - Free Book Online Page A

crying.
    “It’s okay, buddy,” Sully soothed. “Let it out.”
    Mac eventually cried himself back to sleep, which finally allowed Sully to relax and close his eyes. Mac never dreamed it twice and

    59
    always slept the rest of the night after waking up. They both had their demons.
    His appeared some nights in the form of a woman, who looked like she wasn’t even legal drinking age, pulling a 9mm semiautomatic on him during the drug raid and shooting him in the gut before he blew out the back of her skull. Jason shot and killed her boyfriend, but not until after the guy put a bullet in Sully’s leg. Had Sully not pulled the trigger, the woman’s next shot likely would have killed him.
    He never felt guilty about killing her, because she’d also been carrying a .38 in her purse, along with more than three grand worth of crack. His only choice had been to shoot. That still didn’t stop the dreams.
    Only the feel of Mac’s body in his arms did that.

    60
     

Chapter Five
    Clarisse awoke just before dawn the next morning, feeling disoriented, in pain, and frightened out of her mind. She’d been trapped in a nightmare where Bryan had found her and was torturing her.
    She sat up, crying, trying to remember where the hell she was.
    Mac.
    As soon as she thought of him, her world went calm, a feeling of security returned. With a pained grunt, she slowly swung her feet over the edge of the bed and carefully stood.
    Everything hurt. Not as bad as the day before, but it hurt. A full night’s sleep in a good bed had helped a lot.
    She used the bathroom and pulled on the fluffy robe before quietly opening her bedroom door. The house lay dim and quiet.
    Chiding herself for not asking Mac where he kept the Tylenol, Clarisse silently padded out to the kitchen and started rummaging through the cabinets as quietly as she could.

     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Mac slipped out of bed at his usual time and headed for the bathroom. When he returned, he slipped on a pair of shorts. Sully sent Mac a pointed look.
    “I’ll take the five, Master,” he quietly said.
    Without another word, Sully headed for their bathroom. Mac silently opened and closed their bedroom door, not wanting to disturb Clarisse. No doubt she’d be asleep for hours yet. With some surprise,

    61
    he rounded the corner into the kitchen and nearly walked into her, scaring both of them.
    The look of sheer terror on her face as she screamed broke his heart. When she realized it was him, she sobbed and collapsed against him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her, trying to soothe her. Drawn by the noise, Sully quietly appeared in the doorway. With her back to him she didn’t know he was there.
    Sully frowned, then looked sad. He held up three fingers.
    Mac gratefully nodded. Sully nodded in reply and disappeared again.
    Mac scooped her into his arms, carried her over to the couch where he held her, consoling her while she got the nervous tears out of her system. Only three strokes? He’d take a hell of a lot more than that to ease her through this. Sully must be feeling generous this morning. Mac had fully expected at least ten, if not more, to allow him this kind of unapproved, unnegotiated contact with her.
    After ten minutes, she sniffled in his arms. “I’m sorry I’m such a pain, Mac.”
    “You’re not a pain. Why are you apologizing?”
    “I shouldn’t be imposing on you guys like this.”
    He tipped her face back so he could look into her eyes. Even with her wounds, it was all he could do to not lean in and kiss her.
    The sudden urge scared him.
    “You’re not imposing, sweetie. You’ll live with us, and we’ll take care of you, and you can be near Tad. Quit stressing.” He helped her to her feet after planting a chaste kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
    “Did I wake you?”
    “No. I always get up this early.”
    “On a Saturday?”
    He led her to the kitchen. “Every day. I don’t sleep in. What were you looking