his arms inhaling his masculine scent. The sound of a throat being cleared distracted her. She looked over to see C indy standing in the doorway. The other woman wore a hospital gown like her.
“You got away?”
“Yes. When the police rushed through they forgot all about me. I’m free, and I’m Melanie again.” She walked farther into the room. “I want to thank you, Prue. You fought until the end even when I’d given up. Thank you for being so brave.”
Prue’s cheeks heated under the praise. Minutes later Melanie left. She closed the door behind her. Prue tensed. James left her on the bed to go and open the hospital door.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No worries. Go to sleep. I’ll be here no matter what happens.”
She lay against him playing with the button on his shirt. “Do my parents know what happened to me?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I saw Veronica, but if she told them or not I can’t tell you.”
“It would be easier for me if they didn’t know. I couldn’t bear to see the pity in their eyes when they looked at me.”
“No one could look at you with pity. You’re a strong woman, and I for one am so proud of you.” He kissed her head.
Prue closed her eyes hoping she was strong enough to get over what happened to her. She didn’t want her life to be controlled by what Daren and Henry did to her.
Be strong, Prue. James came for you.
Was he too late?
Tears fell from her eyes as the words pierced her heart. She was stronger than this.
Chapter Twelve
James stood in the doorway waiting for Prudence to finish getting dressed. She’d slept fitfully the last night , her dreams filled with nightmares. He’d stroked her hair constantly. The desire to calm her filled every part of him. Lucas was on crutches outside waiting with Sean. They were all waiting to leave. He’d signed a check and the forms releasing Prudence into his care.
He was concerned for her health. She’d need time to adjust to life away from here. Two weeks may have been a short time, but they were long enough to have hurt Prudence. She no longer liked being confined in small places. He hoped she survived the plane ride back home. Melanie had said goodbye to her. She’d been transported back to her parents and was recovering at home.
“I’m ready,” she said.
Turning to face her, Jams saw her face looked badly bruised still. He despised the bruises more than anything. How could a man hurt a woman in such a callous way?
Going to her side, he cupped her cheek gently. She winced at the touch but didn’t pull away.
“I love you so much.”
Prudence smiled. He noticed she didn’t say the words back to him. Did she blame him for everything that happened to her?
“Are you ready to go home?” he asked.
“Yes. I really want to go.”
He took her hand leading her out of the hospital. There was a limo waiting to pick them all up. Lucas climbed in last, and they were on their way to the airport. She curled up against the window without saying a word. He missed her talking.
“Cadeon and the other s have been called. Stephen, Isabella, and Dane will be there at the airport to pick us up,” Sean said.
Lucas moaned, grabbing a carton of pills. “Leg is fucking killing me. I forgot how much it hurts once the adrenaline is gone.”
James smiled but kept his gaze on Prudence. She was too quiet, and her gaze remained on the window. He’d never been happier to see the back of a country than he was to see England behind. Loading up in the plane was easy enough. Prudence remained by the window, buckled in tight.
She barely said a word during the drive.
He spoke with Lucas and Sean. When she fell asleep he moved away. He sat with the two men. His gaze kept going back to where she sat on the plane.
“What’s the matter, man?” Lucas asked.
“She’s not spoken a word.”
“You’ve got to give her time to get use d to you, James. She’s been through a massive ordeal. Give her time,” Sean
“You got away?”
“Yes. When the police rushed through they forgot all about me. I’m free, and I’m Melanie again.” She walked farther into the room. “I want to thank you, Prue. You fought until the end even when I’d given up. Thank you for being so brave.”
Prue’s cheeks heated under the praise. Minutes later Melanie left. She closed the door behind her. Prue tensed. James left her on the bed to go and open the hospital door.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No worries. Go to sleep. I’ll be here no matter what happens.”
She lay against him playing with the button on his shirt. “Do my parents know what happened to me?” she asked.
“I don’t know. I saw Veronica, but if she told them or not I can’t tell you.”
“It would be easier for me if they didn’t know. I couldn’t bear to see the pity in their eyes when they looked at me.”
“No one could look at you with pity. You’re a strong woman, and I for one am so proud of you.” He kissed her head.
Prue closed her eyes hoping she was strong enough to get over what happened to her. She didn’t want her life to be controlled by what Daren and Henry did to her.
Be strong, Prue. James came for you.
Was he too late?
Tears fell from her eyes as the words pierced her heart. She was stronger than this.
Chapter Twelve
James stood in the doorway waiting for Prudence to finish getting dressed. She’d slept fitfully the last night , her dreams filled with nightmares. He’d stroked her hair constantly. The desire to calm her filled every part of him. Lucas was on crutches outside waiting with Sean. They were all waiting to leave. He’d signed a check and the forms releasing Prudence into his care.
He was concerned for her health. She’d need time to adjust to life away from here. Two weeks may have been a short time, but they were long enough to have hurt Prudence. She no longer liked being confined in small places. He hoped she survived the plane ride back home. Melanie had said goodbye to her. She’d been transported back to her parents and was recovering at home.
“I’m ready,” she said.
Turning to face her, Jams saw her face looked badly bruised still. He despised the bruises more than anything. How could a man hurt a woman in such a callous way?
Going to her side, he cupped her cheek gently. She winced at the touch but didn’t pull away.
“I love you so much.”
Prudence smiled. He noticed she didn’t say the words back to him. Did she blame him for everything that happened to her?
“Are you ready to go home?” he asked.
“Yes. I really want to go.”
He took her hand leading her out of the hospital. There was a limo waiting to pick them all up. Lucas climbed in last, and they were on their way to the airport. She curled up against the window without saying a word. He missed her talking.
“Cadeon and the other s have been called. Stephen, Isabella, and Dane will be there at the airport to pick us up,” Sean said.
Lucas moaned, grabbing a carton of pills. “Leg is fucking killing me. I forgot how much it hurts once the adrenaline is gone.”
James smiled but kept his gaze on Prudence. She was too quiet, and her gaze remained on the window. He’d never been happier to see the back of a country than he was to see England behind. Loading up in the plane was easy enough. Prudence remained by the window, buckled in tight.
She barely said a word during the drive.
He spoke with Lucas and Sean. When she fell asleep he moved away. He sat with the two men. His gaze kept going back to where she sat on the plane.
“What’s the matter, man?” Lucas asked.
“She’s not spoken a word.”
“You’ve got to give her time to get use d to you, James. She’s been through a massive ordeal. Give her time,” Sean
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