Page 37 of Fractured Hope
I just nodded again.
“Okay, I’ll let myself out.” With a wave, he left.
18
ATTICUS
It wasdifficult to hear Bodhi’s story.
He’d been through so much more than he’d told me. I’d known that was likely, but to hear it in so much detail was hard. I couldn’t fathom how someone could hurt a person they claimed to love—especially someone like Bodhi. He was kind, caring, compassionate, and clearly longing for love and connection. He would never hurt anyone. It seemed extra cruel.
It had helped to be able to hold Bodhi close while he spoke. I could protect him, if just in that moment. All I wanted was to keep him safe. No one would hurt him ever again. He was so much stronger than he gave himself credit for. He was a survivor.
Once he’d finished, his voice was hoarse, and he appeared completely drained. We would be able to get a restraining order, and hopefully, Max could track Derek down before any more incidents occurred. We didn’t have cameras at the garage, but someone around town must have seen something. I hoped they’d check all the stores on Main Street, and knowing howfastidious Max was when it came to his work, he would leave no stone unturned.
Glancing at Seb, I could tell he’d been rocked by what Bodhi had been through. His face was ashen, and his usual happy demeanor was nowhere in sight. I loved my brother. He was such a genuine guy. I was glad Bodhi trusted him, and I could tell how much those words had meant to Seb.
“I might head out, too.” Seb stood and gave me a knowing look as he glanced at Bodhi. He knelt down to talk to Bodhi. “I’m sorry for all you’ve been through, Bodhi. You’re a part of our family now.” He flashed me a grin. “We’ll do everything we can to protect you and help you get through this.” He gently patted Bodhi’s knee and stood to leave.
“Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow at Mama’s, but if you don’t feel up for it, don’t worry. Mama will understand.” Glancing back at me, he said, “We’ll talk later.” With one last nod, he left.
Turning to Bodhi, I ran my hand over the top of his head. “What do you need? What can I get you?”
Smiling up at me, he pressed a soft kiss on my lips. “Thanks,” he said, then snuggled against my chest.
“For what?” I asked, perplexed.
“For caring. For helping me through all that,” he mumbled into my shirt.
Smiling to myself, I stroked his back and hugged him close. I would keep him safe. Kissing the top of his head, I shifted us so he could look at me. “How about something to eat?”
He jumped at my words, trying to get up quickly but failing. Once he was on his feet, he limped stiffly into the kitchen. “Oh shit! My cookies!”
He came up short at the partially cooked tray on the counter and the cold oven. I followed him into the kitchen, chuckling at his antics.
“Seb turned it all off before they left to get coffee.” Looking at the tray of half-finished cookies, I winced. “Do you think they can be saved?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure.” He carefully inspected the cookies. “We could try, and if that doesn’t work, I have another batch of dough in the fridge ready to go.”
Following Bodhi’s lead, we went about making the cookies and spent the rest of the morning in the kitchen. I wanted to give Bodhi the space he needed to decompress, and baking seemed to be helping.
“I didn’t know you could bake. How did you discover baking?”
“Home Economics at school. It was one of my favorite subjects. I would’ve liked to do a minor in food science at college, but it wasn’t an option.”
“You mentioned college before. Did you say you got a scholarship? What did you study?” I enjoyed discovering more about Bodhi and the easy conversations we seemed to fall into as we finished setting the cookies in the oven and started to clean up.
“Yeah, I managed to get a full scholarship to complete a four-year degree in social work.” He paused as sadness clouded his face. “I fought so hard for that spot, and I just let Derek ruin it.”
“Hey now, it’s not your fault. You were experiencing a relationship for the first time while finding your independence and facing adulthood. It was bound to distract you.” Smiling, I tried to reassure him.
From what he’d spoken about with Max, Derek had manipulated him, plain and simple. He’d preyed on Bodhi’s naivety and twisted him to his will. I hated to think of him with Derek. Bodhi was so full of love, and he desperately wanted to find a home and family. I understood him falling for Derek and what he might have represented at the time. I hoped he wouldwant to find what he was really looking for with me. I’d grown to care for him so much over the short time we’d gotten to know each other. I hoped he knew I would never hurt him. I was nothing like Derek. I growled at the thought of what that asshole had done to Bodhi.
I was drawn out of my thoughts by Bodhi’s giggle. “What was that? Did you just growl!? Are those dishes causing you problems?”
Still chuckling, I flicked some of the dishwater at him. “Hey, you don’t know what these dishes have done.”
Bodhi jumped back with an indignant shriek when he got splashed. “Did you just splash me? Oh, it’s on!”
