Mastering Her Fear (Miami Masters Book 3)
Page 18
“You promise you’ll be on the other side of the two-way mirror the whole time?”
Bart, her attorney, didn’t change his relaxed pose where he sat against the wall in the narrow hall. “For the third time, Julie, yes. He’ll be in shackles, but no one thinks Evan is dangerous, at least not anymore.”
“But there will be a guard in there?” she couldn’t help asking again.
He nodded. “Yes, that’s standard. Relax, you can get up and walk out whenever you want, but I honestly think this’ll be good for you.”
Closure, that’s what all three of the psychologists she had seen said she needed. Julie just prayed this would be the end of it. The door to the visiting room opened and the sympathetic looking guard beckoned her inside.
“Take a seat on this side of the table. Would you like a soft drink, or water?” he asked with an understanding look.
“No, thank you.” Julie sank onto the chair the guard held out for her, looking at Evan Daniels again for the first time in two years. Her heartbeat turned erratic and her palms grew damp, but she didn’t shy away from his physical deformity or his direct gaze. Hunched over, his thick neck held his head at an angle. His large nose leaned to one side and his ‘cauliflower’, misshapen ears were no longer covered with his hair. “I’m…”
He waved a shaking hand. “I remember you. What made you change your mind about seeing me?”
She shifted on the hard metal chair, clasped her hands together on top of the table and drew a deep breath. “I need to apologize, for not stopping them.”
He cocked his head, a hint of humor entering his eyes. “Do you think you’re the only person who never stood up for me?”
That bald statement took her aback a moment. “That doesn’t, didn’t make it right, and I am sorry.”
He shrugged, as if her apology was unnecessary. “I saw compassion in your eyes. That was a first for me and was also why I didn’t kill you too.”
Julie reared back as if he’d reached across the table for her. There was nothing he could’ve said, or admitted to, that would have shocked her more. Staring at him in stunned surprise, she whispered, “You knew I was hiding in the bathroom?”
Evan released a dry chuckle. “I’m ugly, not stupid. I saw the light under the bathroom door go out. Did you honestly think a flimsy bathroom lock would keep me out had I wanted in? You didn’t hurt me, they did.”
Julie hadn’t dared dwell on that possibility. She shook her head, not sure what she was denying. “I didn’t stop them,” she repeated, whether for her own sake or his, she couldn’t say. A glimmer of compassion for the young man who had been so mistreated his whole life that he found nothing wrong with her behavior slipped past her shock over his attitude and revelation.
Evan sighed, as if she was being obtuse in her insistence she had wronged him. “No, you didn’t, but do you think you could have? They were high and may have turned on you.”
“I should have risked it. It would have been the right thing to do,” she insisted, a part of her still needing to hear him say he forgave her.
“And it would’ve been the right thing for me not to kill them. It seems we both need to forgive ourselves. I want to apologize to you, so consider that it. I’ve made peace with myself and continue to pray I’ve made it with God. Why don’t you do the same? Thank you for coming.” Evan dismissed her by looking at the guard. “I’d like to return to my cell now.”
Julie rose on wobbly legs, pivoted and took the few steps to the door. Grasping the handle, she turned her head, looking at him one more time. “Don’t throw away your appeals. They could give you another ten, maybe twenty years.” The note of desperation in her voice was obvious, but she didn’t care what the guard or anyone listening thought of her plea. She didn’t wait for him to answer, just slipped out the door, turned on her heel and headed toward the exit of the state prison. She needed air and the warmth of the sun on her face.
Bart followed her, opened the door and said, “That went well. Let me give you a lift to the airport.”
But Julie didn’t hear him as she stumbled to an abrupt stop the minute she stepped outside, her heart taking a tumble when she spotted Jackson leaning against a car in the parking lot. She’d been searching for a way out of the dark for so long, then he was there, a beacon guiding her, just like always. In his hand, he held a white bag from a fast food chain and in that instant, she reverted to childhood pleasure.
“Thanks, Bart, but I have a ride.” With a soft cry, she dashed toward him.
JACKSON HADN’T SEEN that mischievous look in a long time, the one that always preceded… he opened his arms and caught Julie against him with a laugh. She wrapped her arms and legs around him and he hugged her tight. “Hey, Monkey, how’s it going?”
She sputtered on a watery laugh before sliding down his body and reaching for the bag. “What did you bring me? Fries?”
“Duh. Here.” He handed her the bag, scrutinizing her face for signs of stress. To his relief, all he saw was calm acceptance.
“How did you find me and get here so fast?” she asked, digging through the bag for a fry to pop in her mouth.
It hadn’t been easy to track her down, but luck was on his side when he discovered she’d left her flight information on the computer and Zach had come through with the use of his company’s private jet. Her eyes were clear, her body relaxed as she leaned against him, and he breathed a sigh of relief that whatever had transpired with her friends’ killer had gone well.
“I tell you what. On the way to the airport, I’ll tell you what I read in my mother’s letters on the flight here and you can tell me why you thought you had to do whatever it was you just did alone.” He turned to open the car door, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm and a look in her eyes that made his heart contract.
“I love you, Jackson.”
He kissed her long and hard as he worked to get himself under control. Wasn’t that all he’d ever wanted? Lifting his head, Jackson breathed against her damp lips, “I love you too, baby, but you still have to face the consequences for the way you handled today.”
Julie’s smile turned impish as she settled on the passenger seat. “If they include an introduction into the mile-high club, I think I can handle them.”
Jackson barked out a laugh. “Let’s go home.”
THE END.
BJ WANE
I live in the Midwest with my husband and our two dogs, a Poodle/Pyrenees mix and an Irish Water Spaniel. I love dogs, enjoy spending time with my daughter, babysitting her two dogs, reading and working puzzles. We have traveled extensively throughout the states, Canada and just once overseas, but I much prefer being homebody. I worked for a while writing articles for a local magazine but soon found my interest in writing for myself peaking. My first book was strictly spanking erotica, but I slowly evolved to writing erotic romance with an emphasis on spanking. I love hearing from readers and can be reached here: bjwane@cox.net.
Recent accolades include: 5 star, Top Pick review from The Romance Reviews for Blindsided, 5 star review from Long & Short Reviews for Hannah & The Dom Next Door, which was also voted Erotic Romance of the Month on LASR, and my most recent title, Her Master At Last, took two spots on top 100 lists in BDSM erotica and Romantic erotica in less than a week!
Don’t miss these exciting titles by BJ Wane and Blushing Books!
Virginia Bluebloods Series
Blindsided, Book 1
Bind Me To You, Book 2
Surrender To Me, Book 3
Blackmailed, Book 4
Bound By Two, Book 5
Murder On Magnolia Island Trilogy
Logan - Book 1
Hunter - Book 2
Ryder - Book 3
Miami Masters
Bound and Saved - Book One
Master Me, Please - Book Two
Mastering Her Fear - Book Three
Connect with BJ Wane:
bjwane.blogspot.com
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Table of Contents
What’s Inside
FREE Books for Amazon Customers
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
BJ Wane
EBook Offer
Blushing Books Newsletter
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