Page 37 of Sanction

She’s been kidnapped for days and she wants to know if I’m, okay?

“I am now.” I ran my thumb along her jaw.

She was hesitant as she reached for the hem of her shirt. When she stripped it off, I knew why. Her left side was black and blue. My jaw tightened and I stepped back.

“Fuck……” I mutter.

I haven’t cried in years, but right now, looking at her body, the lump in my throat began to grow. I hated what they did to her. I hated she had to endure the pain because I couldn’t fucking find her.

“Baby, I'm so sorry,” I croaked.

She stepped down from the counter and removed her shorts. Bruises scattered along her thighs and I just noticed how dirty her bare feet were. The light bruising on her cheek made my stomach sour, but it also made me feel no remorse for the sins I committed just hours ago. They deserved it.

“They didn’t break me Travis.” She stepped towards me.

There was one question I wanted to ask. I needed to know. “Did they….” I closed my eyes and ran my hand over my jaw.

“No,” she said softly.

Relief hit me like a wave at the ocean. I tugged off my shirt and stepped out of my jeans. Positioning her under the spray, I stood there, cleaning every inch of her skin. The soapy suds washed away the dirt, the grime, and I could only hope the awful memories went along with it. I kissed each bruise, gently caressing her sensitive skin. I wanted to show her how much I cherished her. How much I loved her. When I was done with her body, I washed her hair. Her exhausted eyes tracked my every move. Before I shut off the water, I washed myself. We watched the blood roll off of my skin and swirl down the drain.

Clean and dry, I grabbed her favorite T-shirt. The one Skittles brought from her room. Once we were dressed, I pulled back my covers and tucked her in right beside me. My arm circled her waist and I pulled her securely against my chest. I haven’t felt this peaceful in weeks.

“Travis?” She whispered.

“Yeah?”

“You kissed me….in front of everyone.”

“Yeah.” I answered before I leaned down to place a kiss on her shoulder.

She turned to face me. “Why?”

After I brushed a piece of hair from her face, I smiled at her. “Because I love you too.”

Chapter 23

Travis

Dani finally fell asleep. I managed to slip out of bed and make my way downstairs. I needed a drink and I knew there was some explaining I needed to do to one person in particular. When I entered the kitchen, Maverick stood on the other side of the bar, a glass of whiskey in hand.

“Tanner sleeping?” I asked.

“Yeah, she finally passed out.” He brought his glass up to his lips.

I ran a hand through my hair before pulling out the bar stool. I took a breath, ready for his wrath. I know I deserve it.

“Maverick…...”

He held up a hand and slowly took another drink of whiskey. I flexed my fingers, trying to release the anxiety that was suddenly present.

He sighed. “There’s a lot of things I could say to you. I could get pissed off and take you outside and kick your ass. I could be livid you that you lied to me and demand to know exactly how long this has been going on. The more I think about, the more I realize it’s probably been going on a long fucking time.”

I drop my head down, staring at the random specs in the granite.

“But I won’t do any of that. I am only going to ask you one question, because it’s really the only thing that matters.” I hear the clink of his glass meeting the counter. “Do you love her?”

My head darted up and I looked him straight in the eye. “Yes.” I blew out a breath. “I’ve loved her for a long time Maverick.”

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