didn’t. Which interested him, and soon became something
he couldn’t ignore.
Chloe was, in fact, unlike any other woman he’d met. Too pure. Too innocent. Not in
the BDSM lifestyle. Somehow knowing that made her all the more special. Deep down
in his gut, he knew he hadn’t asked her to help him find Travis only because it would
comfort Ashlyn. He had asked her also because of Sawyer’s curiosity over her. He wanted
to discover why this little woman had captivated his mind for a damn month.
Snapping back into the moment, he turned his attention to his father. “Chloe’s right—you
could use some food.” He placed a hand on his father’s shoulder. “We’ll stay here
until you come back.”
His father nodded at Sawyer before taking his wife’s hand and helping her up from
the chair. “Come on, Beth. A little break will give us strength. We have to take care
of ourselves so we can take care of Ashlyn.”
“You’re right,” she agreed, if a bit reluctantly. It came as no surprise to Sawyer
that his mom went straight to Chloe and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I don’t know
you, dear. But if you’re helping us, that makes you a friend. I cannot thank you enough.”
A slight smile curved Chloe’s lips as she returned the hug. “No thanks required. Anyone
who hurts a woman needs to be put behind bars.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” said his mother. She released Chloe, took her husband’s
hand again, and added to Sawyer, “We won’t be long.”
Sawyer waited until his parents left the room before arching a brow at Chloe. “You
see why finding Travis is so important?”
Chloe nodded. “They look beside themselves.” She approached the bed where his baby
sister lay. A flurry of emotions passed over her face. “How old is Ashlyn?”
“Twenty-two.”
A soft curse issued from her mouth. “She’s so young to have to deal with something
like this. You will get her counseling once she’s healed, right?”
“I hadn’t thought about it.” Sawyer went around to the other side of the bed, taking
the seat where his mother had been. “But it’s a good idea. I’ll look into it once
Travis is behind bars.”
“Good.” Chloe’s chin lifted. “She’ll need it.”
Sawyer hesitated, listening to his instincts. “Do you have experience with abuse?”
“Not personally.” Her strong glance swept to Sawyer. “But in high school one of my
friends got beaten up pretty bad by her boyfriend. Her parents tried to hush up the
whole thing—they were embarrassed, I guess.”
Another thing he liked about Chloe was the strength and confidence she emanated when
she spoke. “What happened to the girl?”
“She killed herself.”
Sawyer looked at Ashlyn, resolving that such a thing would
not
happen to his sister. He’d make sure no one would ever blame the victim. “I would
never allow Ash to go down such a dark path.”
“That’s good.” Chloe smiled softly at him. “She’s lucky to have you.”
Something in her smile stole his damn breath. He couldn’t pinpoint why Chloe had gotten
to him on such an intense sexual level. Her mere presence—even her scent—was a trigger
for him. On a very deep level, he seemed attuned to her.
Chloe’s voice dragged him from his thoughts. “Were Ashlyn and Travis having problems?”
“She never said anything to me.” He folded his arms, leaning back into the chair.
“But I’m also her big brother. We’re tight and we talk often, but she doesn’t share
things about her love life with me.” He hesitated, shaking his head in frustration.
“I’ve never been a big fan of Travis. He’s an MMA fighter, and more than once I’ve
seen him show anger, but it’s never been directed at her.”
“So something changed?” Chloe offered.
Sawyer nodded. “He clearly snapped.” He swept his hand over Ashlyn’s beaten face.
“Anyone who does this to someone is in a fit of rage they
he couldn’t ignore.
Chloe was, in fact, unlike any other woman he’d met. Too pure. Too innocent. Not in
the BDSM lifestyle. Somehow knowing that made her all the more special. Deep down
in his gut, he knew he hadn’t asked her to help him find Travis only because it would
comfort Ashlyn. He had asked her also because of Sawyer’s curiosity over her. He wanted
to discover why this little woman had captivated his mind for a damn month.
Snapping back into the moment, he turned his attention to his father. “Chloe’s right—you
could use some food.” He placed a hand on his father’s shoulder. “We’ll stay here
until you come back.”
His father nodded at Sawyer before taking his wife’s hand and helping her up from
the chair. “Come on, Beth. A little break will give us strength. We have to take care
of ourselves so we can take care of Ashlyn.”
“You’re right,” she agreed, if a bit reluctantly. It came as no surprise to Sawyer
that his mom went straight to Chloe and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I don’t know
you, dear. But if you’re helping us, that makes you a friend. I cannot thank you enough.”
A slight smile curved Chloe’s lips as she returned the hug. “No thanks required. Anyone
who hurts a woman needs to be put behind bars.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” said his mother. She released Chloe, took her husband’s
hand again, and added to Sawyer, “We won’t be long.”
Sawyer waited until his parents left the room before arching a brow at Chloe. “You
see why finding Travis is so important?”
Chloe nodded. “They look beside themselves.” She approached the bed where his baby
sister lay. A flurry of emotions passed over her face. “How old is Ashlyn?”
“Twenty-two.”
A soft curse issued from her mouth. “She’s so young to have to deal with something
like this. You will get her counseling once she’s healed, right?”
“I hadn’t thought about it.” Sawyer went around to the other side of the bed, taking
the seat where his mother had been. “But it’s a good idea. I’ll look into it once
Travis is behind bars.”
“Good.” Chloe’s chin lifted. “She’ll need it.”
Sawyer hesitated, listening to his instincts. “Do you have experience with abuse?”
“Not personally.” Her strong glance swept to Sawyer. “But in high school one of my
friends got beaten up pretty bad by her boyfriend. Her parents tried to hush up the
whole thing—they were embarrassed, I guess.”
Another thing he liked about Chloe was the strength and confidence she emanated when
she spoke. “What happened to the girl?”
“She killed herself.”
Sawyer looked at Ashlyn, resolving that such a thing would
not
happen to his sister. He’d make sure no one would ever blame the victim. “I would
never allow Ash to go down such a dark path.”
“That’s good.” Chloe smiled softly at him. “She’s lucky to have you.”
Something in her smile stole his damn breath. He couldn’t pinpoint why Chloe had gotten
to him on such an intense sexual level. Her mere presence—even her scent—was a trigger
for him. On a very deep level, he seemed attuned to her.
Chloe’s voice dragged him from his thoughts. “Were Ashlyn and Travis having problems?”
“She never said anything to me.” He folded his arms, leaning back into the chair.
“But I’m also her big brother. We’re tight and we talk often, but she doesn’t share
things about her love life with me.” He hesitated, shaking his head in frustration.
“I’ve never been a big fan of Travis. He’s an MMA fighter, and more than once I’ve
seen him show anger, but it’s never been directed at her.”
“So something changed?” Chloe offered.
Sawyer nodded. “He clearly snapped.” He swept his hand over Ashlyn’s beaten face.
“Anyone who does this to someone is in a fit of rage they