Saving Rain

by Kelsey Kingsley

when he was last here, he”—I pinched my eyes shut, unable to believe I was about to speak the words—“hurt your wrist, and …” I remembered what Noah had said. That his dad would get mad when Ray refused to go to her bedroom with him. I'm going to throw up. She shook her head. “I wouldn't let him. That's why he got mad, and I told Noah to sit outside.” “Okay.” God, no, it wasn't okay. But at least she'd fought him off. Not without paying a price, but … she'd fought him off. I struggled to steady my breath and heart as I said, “You won't see him again.” Ray gawked at the demand, as if I had some nerve. “Soldier, I can't just … keep his son from him. H-how am I supposed to explain that to him?” “You won't have to,” I said, my fists clenching and unclenching. “If I see his big fucking truck roll up again, he'll deal with me.” “No!” she shouted, and that reaction startled me to narrow suspicious eyes at her. “No. Let me handle it. Please. I'll tell him I'm done with this shit and that I'll get a restraining order if he ever comes near us again. Just let me try.” Intuition told me not to agree, and it had nothing to do with not trusting her to try. No, what I didn't trust was Seth and his willingness to comply. The guy had been violating her for years. He had been acting out in violence for years. What the hell did she think was going to be different now? But still, she was a grown woman, and I had to respect that. “Fine.” I relented hesitantly.