“Listen, I know it feels like you’re the only one, but you’re not. Eve Petrov runs this place. And she has helped so many women just like you escape abuse. You have to trust in her. The rooms are clean and fresh. You and Devon will be safe here. There’s security, too.” I quickly jot down a note that we’ll need increased security for Alicia and her son.

“What about school for Devon? He’s in first grade.”

“Once we file the paperwork, his current school will be notified that he is not allowed to be picked up by anyone other than you.”

“How quickly can that be done?”

“Very quickly. Eve has connections at the courthouse. She’ll handle it today.”

“But Marcus, he’s not your average bad guy. There’s something else you need to know.” Her face darkens.

“What is it?” I ask, my voice a strangled whisper.

“He’s a biker. His road name’s Lion, and he’s president of the Death Crusade, MC. Most of the brothers in the club are veterans. They’re good at tracking. They’ll find me.”

We both pause, but before my silence can be construed as fear, I tell her, “You’ll be safe here. Trust me.”

“He’ll kill me and take my son. He wasn’t always like this—”

“We’re going to set you up and make sure we do what we need to ensure your safety and your son’s. Give me a few minutes to sort all of this, and I’ll be back. Do you want another coffee?”

She shakes her head, crying into her knuckles, and I step out.

Locking myself in my office, I lean against the door. The parallels. I feel them. Is this Slade? Is this what I’m doing, too? Slade has a temper and a dark side. Slade is erratic. Dangerous even.

“No,” I say out loud.

I’m totally fine, and Slade is nothing like this biker, Lion. Absolutely not the same man.

Oh God.

Reentering the room, I bring my focus back to the task at hand, separating myself from this woman, who is not me, nothing like me, and Lion is nothing like Slade, and I handle her situation like the strong woman I am.

When Slade comes to pick me up from work, I find him hanging out on a park bench, smoking a cigarette. When he spots me, I give him a small wave, and he runs over, fiercely hugging me. I’m so emotional. Relieved to see him, angry that he is back here to pick me up. I remind myself that I’m not Alicia, but then again, what if I am? What if I’m just like her, and Slade is just like Lion?

“Missed you,” he says into my hair.

I dig my nose into his chest. He smells like laundry, smoke, deodorant, and something uniquely him. In his warmth, I calm down, reminding myself that Slade isn’t long-term. He’s just for now. In this moment, things are fine. I want to enjoy it. I smile up at him, wanting to be enough for this man. Wanting to heal him. Wanting him to talk to me about last night and this morning and to tell me I’m just overreacting. He’s nothing like these disturbed men I’ve been hearing about. He made a mistake, letting me sit alone in a shady parking lot. I surprised him by waking him up, and he sleeps armed because that’s how he’s been trained. He doesn’t realize it yet, but I know how much he cares about me. I can feel it. Am I making excuses? Yes. But they are all valid.