Saving Rain

by Kelsey Kingsley

“I’ve only ever been with Seth.” A pang of hurt and sympathy struck my heart like a lightning bolt at Ray’s own admission. I brought my eyes back to hers, and she offered a weak smile. “When was the last time?” I asked, not sure why I even cared to know while dying to know more than just that. Had I known her already? Had it happened right next door from me, when I was only thirteen steps away and capable of stopping him? My stomach churned with a warning. “Um …” She pulled her lips between her teeth, and I realized abruptly that maybe she didn’t want to talk about this at all. God, what kind of asshole asked a woman to relive those memories? Why hadn’t I thought of that from the start? “I’m sorry,” I said, feeling it was my turn to apologize, but she shook her head. “No, it’s okay. It’s just that I don’t honestly remember. It’s been a while, I think, and anytime it happened, I dunno. I usually just … blocked it out.” I had told her I’d gladly carry her pain. I hadn’t been lying about that. But, man, it was a heavy load, and I hung my head under its weight. Wishing I could do something to erase it all and start fresh. “It hasn’t always been completely terrible. We actually sorta dated for a while after I found out I was pregnant. He had apologized and said he’d try to be better,” she added, as if that made it all okay. “But … it’s never been particularly good either.” Rage could be powerful. It could be enough to make a man kill, and for the right reasons, I thought it cou...