“No, I wouldn’t. But I also wouldn’t want you to see—or hear—what’s going to come out during that trial. I’d be…” She swallowed hard. “Ashamed…for you to know what I tolerated for so many years. He hurt my babies, Charlie. I let that happen because I felt I had no choice, but I had choices. I could’ve left.”

“Shhh. If I know you, and I know you pretty damned well, you must’ve thought you had no options at all. I knew guys like your husband in prison. They’re psychological terrorists. They prey on people who are less able to defend themselves because it makes them feel powerful.”

“Yes,” she whispered, astounded by his astute assessment. “That was Mark. He ran our home like a squadron. If anyone stepped one inch out of line, they felt his wrath—no one more so than me, although Owen was a close second. He was our oldest and went out of his way to protect his siblings at his own expense. The things he endured… His father once broke his arm in a fit of rage. Another time he turned things around so Owen was charged with assaulting him when he’d been protecting himself and his siblings.”

Charlie didn’t say anything. Rather, he let her talk as he stroked her hair and made her feel safe in a way she’d never felt before with a man.

“I look at Owen now, and I’m so proud of who he became all on his own with no thanks to his father or me. He’s a wonderful partner to Laura and an incredible father to Holden. He hasn’t seen his own father in more than ten years. And now he has to testify against him just before the wedding.” She shook her head with dismay. “I hate that he has to go through this.”

“I hate that all of you had to go through it and are still going through it, but I don’t agree with one thing you said.”

“What don’t you agree with?”

“The part about Owen being the man he is no thanks to you. I doubt he’d agree with that. I’m sure he credits you with more than you give yourself credit for.”

“I should’ve left. I blame myself for not packing up my kids and coming here to my parents.”

“I would never presume to blame you for anything you did when you felt you had no choices, but why didn’t you do that?”