Page 30 of Her Avenging Angel

Dax reappeared a few minutes later. He went back out the door, was gone a couple of minutes, then returned again, this time going back behind the bar and resuming his dishwashing.

“What was that?” she asked him, her arms folded on the bar and her chin resting on top of them as she watched him.

“What?”

“Outside. You weren’t gone very long.”

“Oh. I was moving the truck. Hunter parked right in front of the door to unload. I went out and parked it.”

She had wondered before why they didn’t have another door into the kitchen, so they didn’t have to haul everything through the front room, and there was another door but that led to the back yard, and there was no way to pull a truck back there, or at least not one she’d seen. She wouldn’t be surprised if there was some hidden way in and out of the yard that they didn’t use so it remained secret but was there in case there was an attack, and they needed to make a quick escape.

Half an hour after carrying in his large load of groceries, Hunter called for Dax. The other prospect gathered several empty bottles and dropped them in the recycling bin on his way to the kitchen. A couple of minutes later he returned, a plate in each hand.

“Here you are.” He set a plate in front of her and the other on the bar in front of Raven.

“This looks amazing, thank you,” she said.

“I didn’t make it, I’m just the delivery boy, but I’ll let Hunter know you said so.” He turned and went back into the kitchen.

Taylynn watched him go, then picked up her silverware and stared at her plate for a moment, trying to decide where to start. She glanced over at Raven’s plate and saw he didn’t have mushrooms and he’d started with his potato. She looked back at her plate and decided that wasn’t what she wanted first. It had been so long, she set down her fork and used her fingers to pick up one spear of asparagus. Eating it like a French fry, she closed her eyes as the flavor burst on her tongue.

“You keep making sounds like that and I may not be able to sit here with you much longer.” Raven’s voice broke into her moment. She frowned and looked over at him, wondering what he was talking about.

“I get that your food is good, but if you keep making sex sounds while you eat, I’m going to have to go sit somewhere else if I’m going to keep my hands to myself.”

Her frown turned to a scowl. “Why would you want to touch me? I’m used goods. I’m dirty. No one will want me now.” She dropped her gaze back to the bar and her plate, the food not looking so appetizing now.

A finger on her chin lifted her face and turned it back to Raven. His face was darker than she’d ever seen it. It made her want to pull away, to protect herself.He’s never hurt you,she reminded herself. It took everything she had to stay where she was and not move away from him.

“Who said that to you?” Raven’s voice was low and menacing.

She was quiet for a moment, trying to decide if she should say anything. But one of the things she’d learned about Raven over the last couple of months was that he didn’t give up. If there was something he wanted, he found a way to get it. If it was information, he didn’t give up until he had what he wanted to know.

He might be holding her chin but that didn’t mean she had to watch him. She had that much control. She dropped her gaze to look at the short beard he wore, anything to keep from watching his eyes as she admitted what she didn’t see a way around.

“No one here.”

“Who?” Raven’s voice had become little more than a growl.

Taylynn swallowed. She didn’t want to get into this but knew he wasn’t going to back off. He wanted to know and would keep after her until she told him.

“Ace, and a couple of the others there. They had different ways they did it. After the first time Ace told me that I was soiled goods and no one would want me now. Another of the men did it every time. He would call me his dirty little whore and tell me how that was all I was good for.”

“Oh, little one.” Raven’s voice had turned tender. “None of that is true. If you don’t already know that, I’m telling you so now. You know I’d never hurt you right?”

She nodded. She did know that, in her heart. It was her head that wasn’t so sure, that made her doubt him or flinch away when someone moved too fast. She could get past it but knew it would take time.

“I want to show you something, but I don’t want to scare you off. Will you give me your hand?”

She knew he wouldn’t hurt her. Still, she was a bit hesitant as she reached over and offered him her hand.

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