Page 43 of Shadows of Obsession

"I understand," she replied gently. "But I want you to understand why I've been the way I am too."

I felt a flicker of confusion. Our earlier moments replayed in my head. Her recoiling, flinching when I moved too fast, freezing when I stood behind her at the sink.

"When I was with Daniel, he used to grab my wrists hard enough to bruise," she began.

My whole body tensed.

"It always happened during fights. If I tried to walk away, he'd stop me. One day, we were upstairs, arguing. I tried to leave, and he grabbed my arm when I was two steps down. His grip was so tight I thought he was going to drag me back up... but instead, he let go—flung my arm back."

She drew in a breath.

"I fell. The momentum pushed me down the stairs."

A thick silence dropped between us. My fists curled on my thighs, jaw clenched, rage simmering under my skin. Connor had said she'd left an abusive relationship, but not this. Probably because even he hadn't heard it from her.

Now, hearing it directly from her, the grim reality of her past hit me like a punch to the gut. It was hard to imagine someone inflicting that kind of violence on another person, especially someone as kind-hearted as Anna. But I'd seen enough in my life to know that monsters didn't always look like monsters.

My reaction was slow, my mind still processing the weight of what she'd revealed. I opened my mouth to respond but hesitated, my thoughts racing ahead of my words. The memories she described were dark, brutal, and cruel. No wonder she flinched when I got too close or moved too fast.

A pang of guilt hit me, for not realizing sooner, for every time I'd invaded her space or moved without warning, even after noticing some of her reactions.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, my voice low but sincere. "I didn't know…"

"It's not your fault," Anna replied quickly. "I know Connor probably didn't tell you much. I haven't told him many of the details."

I nodded, meeting her gaze. "He told me a little, but not... like this. I had no idea it was that bad."

Anna took a deep breath, and I saw a weight lift from her shoulders, the relief of sharing a burden she'd carried alone. "I haven't talked about it. It's not something I want to remember. But I figured if you were going to open up, I should do the same. It only seems fair."

I rubbed the back of my neck, awkward in the face of her vulnerability. I wasn't used to these kinds of conversations. I was more comfortable with action, with fixing things, solving problems, the way I'd been trained. But this took a different kind of strength. The kind that came from listening, understanding, and showing compassion. Things the Marines hadn't exactly emphasized. Things I hadn't done for someone else in years.

"Thanks for sharing that with me," I said, knowing the words were inadequate but offering them anyway. "I know it's not easy."

Anna nodded, a small smile touching her lips, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I just wanted you to know why I'm like this. I'm working on it, but it's not always easy to trust people after... after something like that."

I reached out, moving slowly so I wouldn't startle her, telegraphing my movements the way I should've been doing all along, and gently touched her forearm, resting my hand against her skin. The same spot I'd touched at the sink, but this time, there was unspoken permission in the space between us.

"I get it. And if there's anything I can do to make you more comfortable, just tell me. I don't want you to feel like you have to put up with anything from me." The words felt clumsy, but I meant them.

She nodded, and her smile became a little more genuine. "Thanks, Jaxon. I appreciate that. Please keep it to yourself, though. Don't tell Connor."

I noticed the subtle shift as Anna moved her hand from her lap to mirror mine, turning it up so it rested against the bottom of my forearm. A small gesture, but meaningful. Her way of saying she was willing to start trusting me, even if just a little. I felt the warmth of her touch and gave her a reassuring nod, careful not to move too quickly, aware of how fragile this moment was.

The air between us felt lighter, the tension from earlier fading. We'd shared parts of ourselves we usually kept hidden, and while it was uncomfortable, it also felt freeing. Like a weight had lifted, a barrier had come down, letting us see each other more clearly.

We sat there a moment longer, her hand on my arm, my thumb brushing gently against her wrist in a slow, careful rhythm. Two broken people finding unexpected common ground in a cabin in the woods.

And for the first time since Nikki died, I didn't feel quite so alone.

CHAPTER 14

Anna

The rocking chair creaked beneath me as I kept up its slow, swaying rhythm with my bare foot, my other leg folded comfortably beneath me. I was dressed for pure relaxation. Shorts and a baggy tee, the kind of outfit that said I had no plans beyond existing peacefully on Connor's front porch.

I snorted at Harper's latest message: a GIF of some guy flapping his arms like a deranged bird. Her response to my play-by-play about breakfast with Jaxon the other day. Specifically, the part where he'd answered the door in nothing but his boxers.

Yeah, Harper. Real subtle.