CHAPTER 20
Anna
My attention was focused on the horses in the old barn when a commotion in the distance caught my eye. Denny was struggling with one of the colts, trying to lead it into the ring for ground exercises. The horse reared up, its powerful legs striking the air in defiance.
Oh no.
It was clear the situation was escalating quickly, and Denny was losing control. Without a second thought, I took off running toward them.
"Denny! Hold on, I'm coming!" My shout carried across the yard as I sprinted, my heart pounding in my chest.
The colt bucked wildly, its eyes wide with panic, nostrils flaring as it fought against the lead rope. Denny's grip was firm, but the horse's strength was dragging him along the ground. I reached them in a flurry of motion, grabbing onto the rope to help steady the frightened animal.
"Thanks, Anna! This one's a handful," Denny managed through gritted teeth, his muscles straining with effort.
Side by side, we held fast to the rope, trying to calm the colt. But the horse's terror only seemed to grow, its frenzied movements becoming more erratic.
In a sudden burst of energy, the colt reared again, hooves slicing through the air. The rope jerked violently as Denny fought to keep the animal from breaking free.
"Denny, I've got it! Just let go!" I urged, thinking he needed to loosen his grip to ease the tension.
But in that instant, the colt whipped its head with tremendous force. The rope snapped back like a whip, striking Denny's hand. In a split second, his hand slammed into the side of my face with a sickening crack.
The impact sent me reeling, my body hitting the ground with a heavy thud.
Pain exploded through my skull, stars dancing across my vision.
But it was the flood of memories that truly took my breath away.
The force of the blow had unlocked a torrent of images and sensations I had long kept buried.
They rushed through my mind in a dizzying whirlwind, each one more vivid and heart-wrenching than the last.
I was back in Daniel's house, in the dingy living room that always smelled of cigarette smoke, where the walls seemed to close in on me every time Daniel was in one of his moods.
He backhanded me. Hard. Knocking me to the ground.
The anger in his eyes as he loomed over me was intense, his voice a harsh scream that drowned out everything else.
"You think you can just leave? You think you can just go to work and leave me here? You belong to me, do you hear me? You don't need to go anywhere!"
His hands gripped my arms, fingers digging into my skin as he shook me violently. I was helpless, the way his spit hit my face as he screamed, the overwhelming stench of smoke and alcohol.
My chest tightened, the air squeezed from my lungs. The memories felt real, like I was back in that house, feeling the pain and the fear. I could feel Daniel's hands on me again. I couldn't breathe.
I heard a door slam, then another voice, urgent but gentle, breaking through the fog of my flashback.
"Anna. Anna! It's okay.” Jaxon's voice cut through the haze, a lifeline pulling me back from the brink of darkness. “Look at me, baby.”
Baby? That got my attention faster than anything.
"You're safe. It's just me. You're okay."
I blinked, trying to focus on his face through the blur of tears. He knelt before me, his hands grasping my arms—his touch meant to be reassuring.
But it was too much. Too similar to the memories now holding me captive.
With a panicked gasp, I recoiled, pushing him away as I scrabbled backward across the dirt. Away from his touch.
Jaxon released me immediately, his eyes shining with concern.
"Hey, it's okay. You're safe. You're here on the ranch. Look at me, Anna. Just breathe. You're fine."
His voice was soothing, a steady anchor in the tempest of my emotions.
Slowly, his words began to penetrate the fog of fear, guiding me back to the present.
I realized I was not in that house, trapped with Daniel.
I was on the ranch with Jaxon. The horse was under control, and Denny now knelt beside me, his eyes wide with worry.
"Miss Anna, are you okay? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen." Denny's voice wavered, heavy with remorse.
I managed a faint nod, the movement almost imperceptible. "Yes," I whispered, the word barely audible.
Raising a trembling hand to my cheek, I felt the sting where I'd been struck. But it wasn't just the physical pain that haunted me, it was the deluge of memories the blow had unleashed.
Jaxon extended a hand, ready to help me to my feet. But the moment he got close, I flinched away, my eyes squinting with a fear that had nothing to do with him. I couldn't let anyone touch me right now.
I stood and made my way to the house on unsteady legs, Jaxon following at a respectful distance. I could feel his presence behind me, careful not to crowd me, giving me the space I needed, even as my shoulders shook with silent sobs.
In the kitchen, I stood at the sink, my hands moving mechanically under the warm stream of water. Dirt swirled down the drain, but my tears kept flowing, mingling with the running water. My eyes, glassy and unfocused, stared blankly ahead as I went through the motions of cleaning myself.
I grabbed a washcloth and rubbed grime from my arms before gently pressing it to my face, wincing slightly at the sting where I'd been hit.
The physical pain was a mere echo compared to the emotional turmoil raging inside me.
"Anna."
Jaxon's voice was soft, and I felt him take a tentative step closer. Slowly, he closed the distance until his chest brushed against my back. He paused, and I neither pulled away nor flinched at his proximity.
Carefully, Jaxon placed his hand over mine, stilling the washcloth I held to my face. His other arm wrapped around my waist, holding me in a tender embrace as he rested his cheek against my temple.
"I'm here," he murmured. "You're not alone. I'm right here."
The tension in my body began to melt away, his touch offering a sense of safety and comfort I desperately needed.
Reaching around me, Jaxon gently turned off the sink before tightening his embrace. "Come on," he urged softly, guiding me toward the den. "Let's sit down."
He led me to the couch, settling down and pulling me into his lap so I sat sideways, cradled against his chest. His hand found its way to my back, rubbing soothing circles as I nestled into his warmth.
"I had a flashback..." My voice was barely above a whisper, but it shattered the heavy silence that had settled over us.
"I know." Jaxon spoke softly, his cheek resting atop my head. "It's over now. You're safe."
I nodded against his chest, but my shoulders tensed as I continued, "It was when Daniel—"
"Shh." Jaxon squeezed my middle, pulling me closer as his lips brushed my temple. "You don't have to tell me."
"I think it would help," I admitted, my voice cracking.
Jaxon nodded, his touch gentle and reassuring. "Okay, I'm here. You can talk to me. I'm listening." His fingers combed through my hair, the rhythmic motion soothing me as I prepared to open up.
I drew a shaky breath. "It was when Daniel.
.. he was screaming at me. I just wanted to go to work, to have something of my own, you know?
But he didn't like that. He said I belonged to him, that I wasn't allowed to leave the house without his permission.
" I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing on Jaxon's steady warmth surrounding me.
Jaxon held me closer, his grip firm but not constricting, a silent reassurance that I was safe to continue. His hand never ceased its comforting movement along my back.
"He... he backhanded me. Hard. Across the face," I went on, my voice trembling. "It knocked me to the ground. He yelled at me, said I was being ungrateful and that I should be happy with what I had. It was... it was horrible."
Jaxon pressed his lips to my temple again, whispering words of comfort. "I'm so sorry you went through that. He had no right to treat you like that."
I nodded, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I felt so helpless, like I was trapped. He was towering over me, screaming, and I couldn't do anything but lie there and hope he'd stop."
Jaxon's tone remained gentle, despite whatever he was feeling. "You're not there anymore, Anna. You're here, with me. With people who care about you. He can't hurt you anymore." He squeezed me again, reinforcing the message of safety.
"I know," I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning into Jaxon's chest. I focused on the steady rhythm of his breathing beneath my cheek as he continued to rub my back and hold me close.
The gentle pressure of his touch and the familiar comfort of his embrace helped me relax, making me feel safer than I had in a long time.
But there was something I needed to ask, something that had been bothering me since last night.
"Did I do something to make you mad last night?"
Jaxon's hand stilled on my back, and I felt him take a deep breath. At first, he said nothing, simply shaking his head as he resumed the gentle rubbing. But the tension in his body and his hesitation were obvious.
He adjusted his position slightly, lifting my head from his chest so our eyes could meet.
"No, it wasn't you," he finally admitted, his voice low and tinged with hesitation.
"I felt things yesterday—for you—that made me feel guilty, like I was betraying Nikki.
I know she's been gone for years, but...
I couldn't help it. And in the moment, I didn't want to feel those things.
I just needed some space to clear my head. "
Oh.
Understanding washed over me as he spoke. "I understand," I reassured him softly, my fingers tracing the lines of his shirt. "I get it. You loved her. It's not easy to move on from that."
"Yeah, I did," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "And she didn't deserve what happened to her. No one does."