Read Jake (A Redemption Romance #2) for Free Online

anything.
    “This isn’t your problem, Jake. I’ll handle it, I always have.” The glare he sent me was arctic. I thought his look had been cold before, I was dead wrong. A muscle flexed in his jaw and I watched as he clenched and unclenched his fists. The sight of his hands like that did scare me. I could remember Tim’s hands doing that, it was a clear image in my mind.
    My body reflexively moved, I stepped back, away from him and whatever he saw on my face must have registered with him. He immediately relaxed his posture and put his hands up in front of his chest, in what was supposed to be a calming position.
    My heart didn’t calm, though, the adrenaline had kicked in and I was in fight or flight mode now. I could hear Jake saying something, he was trying to get my attention, but whatever he was saying, didn’t register.
    I rarely had this type of flashback anymore. I’d gotten help, had seen a therapist for a long time after Tim’s attack, but once in a great while something would set me off. It was usually a conversation with my father.
    “Hope!” Hearing the panic in Jake’s voice helped me to bring myself back. I’d been deep breathing, as I’d been trained to teach my own clients, and as I’d learned firsthand through my own counseling sessions. I focused on something positive and took slow, deep breaths to help counteract the fear.
    Finally, after I’d heard his pleading for the third time, my eyes traveled slowly up until they met his. What I saw there stunned me. His eyes were indeed pleading, but also remorseful.
    My heartbeat began to steady as I studied Jake’s face. I’d never seen anything like compassion on Tim’s face. I knew, intellectually speaking, that Jake wasn’t anything like my ex, but there were times I just couldn’t control my reactions.
    “Are you okay?” Jake’s voice was gentle, as if he were coaxing a frightened kitten.
    “Yes, thanks. I’m sorry, I don’t know what just happened.” I did, but didn’t want to explain, I knew that the sight of his fists had triggered this episode. Usually, I was able to control the fear before the memories took over.
    Jake smiled hesitantly, seeming to understand what I wasn’t saying.
    “Hope, I’d never hurt you, okay? I’ve never in my life hurt a woman. Please, don’t be afraid of me.” Taking one step toward me, he extended his arms, inviting me to hug him. Propelling myself forward, I was determined to move past it. I needed the comfort and I thought that Jake might too.
    Quite a while later, Jake and I sat together on the couch. He still held me in his arms and was twirling a piece of my long hair around his finger. The action seemed mindless, almost like he didn’t realize he was doing it. Once I’d calmed completely, he spoke.
    “Hope, I need you to tell me what happened with your ex. If he’s the one who left that stuff, it would help if I knew who he was.”
    Though Jake didn’t work for a local police agency, working for the DEA, gave him insight and the ability to find people who didn’t want to be found. Making the decision to trust him with at least part of my story, I began.
    “His name is Tim Johnson. We went to college together. We dated for about three years, then four years ago, he hit me. I went to the local police, but by the time they went to find him, he disappeared.” I pressed deeper into his chest, reveling in the comfort he was providing. I needed his strength before I could continue.
    “I don’t know where he went, but they weren’t able to find him so the protection order was never served.”  My brief explanation left a heck of a lot out, but it was about all I could tell him. I didn’t want to see the pitying look I always got. Jake couldn’t see me that way, not like a woman who needed to be saved, or a woman not strong enough to protect herself.
    He stayed quiet for a long time. So long, I began to feel uncomfortable. I began to get up from the couch, I wanted to be anywhere but