Page 89 of Untouchable

Caleb didn’t answer. He didn’t try to stop her. She shot him a quick glance and saw he’d clearly pulled in on himself, all his protective instincts on guard again. He’d made himself as vulnerable as he ever had, and she’d just slammed the door in his face.

Now he just watched every move she made with a cool, penetrating gaze.

Kelly wasn’t sure that she had everything in the bag, but she didn’t really care at the moment. Her purpose for being there at all was nowhere now, and the only thing that mattered was getting away. If she wanted to keep her sanity.

She’d just professed feelings for the man who might or might not have murdered her father. She’d surrendered all of herself to him—so much more than just her body. There was no way to make sense of a world where that could happen.

So she needed to get away. “I’m really sorry, Caleb,” she said, as she heaved the bag up and started to leave the room. “I mean it. But I just can’t?—”

He still didn’t answer. He felt as cold and hard as he’d been before they’d met. Caleb followed her out of the room. Out of the house. Down to where her car was parked.

He grabbed her shoulder just before she got into her car. “Kelly,” he said in a rough murmur. “You’re making a mistake.”

She shrugged weakly, and her voice cracked as she answered, “It’s not the first time.”

She had no idea where to go. Or what to do. Or if she even had any options.

All she knew was that she had to get away.

She fell into a daze as she drove into the city—all her chaotic feelings, all her anger, all her angst freezing into a tight, fragile control.

Eventually she ended up at an apartment building. At an apartment.

One she hadn’t consciously intended to drive to.

She knocked on the door.

It swung open.

Reese stood before her, gasping in surprise when she saw who was at her door.

“Kelly?” Reese asked, her eyes huge and bewildered.

Kelly gulped and forced out a tight smile. “Hey there. Do you happen to have an extra bed for the night?”

Reese’s face changed, softened visibly. She reached out and put a gentle hand on her arm. “Kelly, hon, are you all right?”

Kelly’s face crumpled. Then she shattered. Burst into pitiful tears.

Reese took her in.

19

Reese immediately started puttering around,looking uncharacteristically helpless as she led Kelly into her apartment, took her sweater and leather bag, and then showed her into the living room, where she gestured toward her couch.

Kelly sank onto the couch gratefully, her back and thighs exhausted and already a little sore from the sex she’d just had with Caleb. She felt drained and totally leveled. And she was still choking on little sobs.

Reese sat down next to her. “What is it?” she asked, her voice softer than usual and more urgent. “What’s happened? What’s been going on for the past few weeks?”

Shaking her head mutely, Kelly tried to come up with a reasonable explanation for her presence here and for her distress, but she couldn’t think of anything. “I can’t— It’s too complicated. I just don’t have anywhere else to go tonight. I can’t go home.”

Reese studied her intently, scanning her friend from her messy hair to her elegantly shoed feet. After a tense moment, she asked, “Do I need to take you to the emergency room?”

Kelly just blinked at her, had no idea why she was asking that.

“It looks like you’ve… I mean, you’re starting to bruise here.” Reese pointed at the skin just over Kelly’s neckline where Caleb had bitten hard enough to mark. “And your clothes…” Reese swallowed hard and appeared to force herself to conclude, “Kelly, if you’ve been raped?—”

“I haven’t,” Kelly said hurriedly. “I haven’t. I promise.”