Page 72 of Edged

“Yes. I’m not going to be shy about wanting you in my life, Kaley.” He reached out and cupped her cheek. “I want to be with you, and we can work out any issues we have as long as we communicate.”

“Oh, Anthony.” She placed her hand over his where it lay on her cheek.

“These last few weeks have been hard.” Beyond hard. Anthony wanted her to understand where he was coming from. Not to shame her or anything, but to let her know he could share his feelings.

“They have for me too.” She shifted closer to him. “I’m sorry. I needed some time.”

“You said that, but why did you need the time?”

“Because I was afraid.”

The words hung in the darkness around them. “Of me?”

“Not you. Never you.” She let her hand drop from his. “This isn’t something I like to talk about, but it’s been pointed out to me that I should talk about it.”

Anthony shifted, wondering who had pointed that out to her. He slipped his hand from her cheek to her waist, but kept his arm above the covers. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“That may be never.”

He tightened his arm around her to let her know he was here for her, but otherwise stayed silent.

“It happened when I was twenty-two.” Her voice was soft. “I was working two jobs, trying to get my feet under me so I could start my mobile business.”

“You told me you worked as a dog groomer in a salon.”

“I did. I didn’t tell you that I had a second job.” She shifted again. “I usually worked as a groomer from seven until four, then I went to my second job.”

“Which was?”

“I worked at the emergency vet clinic from five until eleven at night as a receptionist.”

“That couldn’t have been easy on you.” He drew her closer and was pleased when she laid her head on his shoulder.

“No, but I was able to help people who needed help with their animals.” She blew out a breath. “I was leaving work one night, a couple days before payday, so I decided to walk home.”

He stiffened.

“I know.” Her hand moved to his chest and rested there. “At the time, I didn’t think anything about it.”

“Where were you living?”

“Where I am now. Anyway, I was almost home when a guy stepped in front of me. I kind of ignored him and stepped around him. Then he caught me by the arm and spun me around.”

Her body shook.

“It’s okay, sweetheart.” He gathered her close.

“I know what you’re thinking; he didn’t sexually assault me.”

Anthony blew out a breath.

“He wanted money. As I said, it was before payday. I think I had a whole ten dollars in my pocket. That didn’t make him happy. He started waving a knife at me.” Her voice trembled. “I found out later he was high on drugs. He stabbed me.”

“Kaley.” His arm tightened around her.

“I was lucky. It missed any vital organs.”

“You ran out on my demo because of that.” Now things were becoming clearer in his mind. Including why she reacted the way she did in the garden. The scissors reminded her of a knife.

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