Page 58 of Protection for Rowan

She nodded. “Thank you.”

"I've read the notes you sent. It sounds like you went through something very scary. We'll be doing intense therapy a few times a day on the first three days, then we'll slow down, and you'll have time to relax and journal. Tonight, you can settle in and eat dinner. We try to keep a schedule just to make sure you're getting plenty of sleep, so we try for lights out around ten thirty. Not that you have to go to sleep then, but we try to keep the noise down and not have people bumping around."

She liked Cassandra and was glad they had a schedule. She knew she was welcome to nap at any time, but getting enough sleep was crucial to her healing.

"I don't think I've been sleeping well. I’m sure this will help."

“The country air does make a difference.”

She drew in a deep breath and let it go. “It is nice.”

"Hopefully, the atmosphere will help you relax."

Rowan nodded, feeling good about herself for the first time in a while. She wished Shine was here with her, but part of learning to deal with her demons was to take on her issues on her own. She could breathe easier here. Maybe it was because she was far from where everything had gone bad, or maybe it was because she knew she would finally be working on herself.

Whatever it was making her feeling better, she was here for it. She wanted to heal. That was good. She had been lost in the memories of what happened, but that wasn’t her truth. Something bad had happened, but she could recover and rise above the fear of it all.

Chapter 42

Shine didn't likethe feel of his empty house or the inability to contact Rowan, but she was where she needed to be, getting the help she needed. Thario looked into the facility, and Shine was satisfied that Rowan would be well taken care of. The place had good security, and he wasn't worried about her.

He was headed to Thario’s so they could search for Charles. The police still hadn’t found him, and Shine was worried about the guy showing up again. Maybe he’d done something stupid and died, but Shine had a feeling he was still out there.

When he pulled up outside, Frog ran out to greet him. He petted the dog, feeling better about everything after a moment with the dog. “Your dog is amazing,” Shine said when he joined Thario on the porch.

“He is.” Thario was in his wheelchair instead of walking.

“You doing okay?”

Thario shrugged. “Yeah. I overdid it on walking lastweekend. The doctor wants me to take it easy for a few days.”

“I understand.”

"I don't. I used to be a badass who could run circles around men half my age. Now I'm stuck in this chair half the time." Frog let out a loud woof, and Thario rolled his eyes. "The dog is telling me my attitude is slipping. I know, Frog, I'm being an ass right now. I need some time."

“It sounds like it’s more than just being sore.”

Thario shrugged. "I was out at a bar eating dinner. I should have stuck to our usual haunts, but I went to this new place. A woman started chatting me up. Then she learned I'd lost my legs. That was it. She called me names. Usually, it doesn't bother me, but this one did."

“Dude, that was uncalled for. I’m sorry.”

Thario grunted. "I guess karma is getting me back. I was a total shit for years, but this felt personal. I mean, I never called women names before. I just left them. That was probably rude, and I guess I deserved it."

“We both were shits when we were younger. We should have been better, but no one deserves that kind of treatment.”

Thario shrugged. "I was one of the worst guys on base, and you know that."

“Not the worst. You didn’t assault women like that ass who is in Leavenworth.”

“He is bad.”

Frog had his head on Thario’s lap, staring up at him like he was in love. Shine was glad the man had the dog. It would be difficult to get his head on straight if he’d endured what Thario had gone through.

Thario sat up straighter. “Anyway, we need to search for that asshole, Charles. I’ve been looking but haven’t found anything.”

He would let the subject drop but make sure to check in on Thario later in the week. "I have no idea where he is. I've been looking, too, but how do you find a man who isn't leaving a trace? We don't have access to his email. He's not posting anything that I can see."

“Ah, I do have access to his email.”

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