and a successful businessman. I’m no snob, but I’ve done well with my business.”
“My father abused us,” she said, unable to keep it in any longer. “That’s why I avoid him. It’s why my mother left him. She got a huge settlement if she agreed not to reveal how many times he’d slapped her. Tabitha was much better at playing him than I was. He hit her a few times, but most of the time I was the target.”
He stared at her. “Your father did that? He beat you?” he asked.
Her heart twisted at the disbelief in his voice. “Don’t ask me to prove it. You don’t have to believe me, but it’s true. That’s why I had to make sure you wouldn’t hurt Joel. I would do anything to make sure that didn’t happen to him.”
He met her gaze. “I believe you. I’m not a violent man, but I would like to beat the crap out of him for touching a hair on your head.”
She took a deep breath and felt a sinking sense of relief. “So, now, maybe you understand why I want to make sure that you won’t harm Joel.”
“I would never,” he said, moving toward her. “And I would never harm you. I can’t promise, however, that I wouldn’t hurt someone who threatened Joel or you.”
She took another breath. “Hopefully that won’t happen.”
He lifted her hand to his mouth. “I wish I knew why your sister lied about me.”
Distracted by his touch, Nicole tried to summon a reason for Tabitha’s actions. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I wish I knew, too.”
“She was wild when I first met her. I caught her taking some pills one time when we first started seeing each other. I made her swear she would stop. I thought I would be a stabilizing influence. I asked her to marry me. I thought I could help turn her around,” he said.
Although Tabitha had kept her drug usage secret, Nicole had suspected that her sister had dabbled in drugs. After Joel had been born, she’d held her breath in hopes that he hadn’t been affected.
“I always thought she was the stronger one,” she said. “When we were growing up, she would challenge my father for anything.”
“He didn’t abuse her?” he asked.
“Very rarely, but she somehow was able to dance around his anger. I still don’t know how she did it,” Nicole said.
“But you took the brunt of it,” he concluded, his voice full of disgust.
“I don’t know why. I tried to be invisible, but it didn’t work. I was always so relieved to go back to boarding school so I could be away from him.” She glanced at him. “I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful.”
He looked at her, perplexed. “Ungrateful?”
“I was very fortunate that my parents were wealthy enough to send me to the best schools. I received health care and education.”
“You were also abused. You didn’t deserve that.”
“I have to keep reminding myself of that fact.”
“I’ll remind you,” he said, moving closer to her, taking her into his arms.
Nicole slumped against him, inhaling his strength. She gave in to the urge to lift her hands to his hair and savored the sensation of his crisp hair in her fingers.
“This isn’t wise,” she said, but couldn’t stop herself from leaning against him.
“I disagree,” he said. “It feels right,” he said and dipped his head, taking her mouth with his.
Nicole clung to him, wishing she could inhale all of him, all of his strength so that she would never feel weak or vulnerable again.
“I want to stay with you tonight,” he muttered against her throat.
He heart quickened. “Rafe,” she said, torn in different directions.
“Tell me you don’t want me to stay,” he whispered. “Tell me you don’t want me.”
“I do,” she said, but forced herself to step away from him. She didn’t want to confuse Joel if—when Rafe lost interest in her. “But being with you is just going to make things more complicated. We can’t do this.”
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