Lead Me Home (Fight for Me #3)(2)

Knew it when I fell into a dreamless sleep.

When I woke in the morning and he was gone, I realized I’d known it all along.





1





Nikki





One Year Later





“Miss Nikki?” The timid voice hit me from behind.

I stilled where I was refilling my disposable coffee cup at the table. It was set up at the back of the large meeting room in the basement of an office building we rented out every Tuesday night.

I gave myself a moment to gather my composure after the intense session before I turned around with a soft smile on my face.

Brenna.

She stood there, nervously twisting her fingers together, the bruise around her eye finally beginning to fade. She hadn’t said a thing the entire session, but the fact that she had even shown up at all had felt like a victory.

“Hey,” I told her gently. My heart suddenly felt as if it were too big to fit in my chest. “What did you think of the meeting tonight?”

She chewed at the inside of her lip. “It was good. Everyone is really nice.”

“That’s good to hear. We want you to be comfortable. It’s a safe place.”

“I feel safe here.” She almost blanched when she said it. As if she never truly felt it or maybe she was scared to. She hesitated and then said, “I wanted to tell you something.”

I set my coffee cup aside and fully turned to her. “Of course. You can tell me anything.”

There was something about this young girl that got to me. Something that made me want to wrap her up and protect her. Hold her and keep her safe forever.

At barely eighteen with a two-year-old little boy, she’d already been through enough to last her a lifetime. Most of her turmoil was thanks to the piece of garbage who was supposed to be her boyfriend.

“I left him.”

Relief.

Sometimes I wondered how it could be so intense.

“I’m so proud of you,” I told her, not even trying to keep the emotion out of my voice. “Where are you staying?”

“My momma’s. She said Kyle and I could stay with her a bit until I get on my feet.”

“That’s good. So good. Do you need any money? Anything from me?”

I knew I was making myself too available. Offering too much. But with her, I couldn’t help it. All I wanted was to make a difference; although, I was pretty sure Kathy, the doctored psychologist who oversaw the group and mentored me, would tell me I was being a little too overeager.

Or maybe tell me I was straight up breaking the rules.

Call it a pitfall of my personality, I didn’t care. I just wanted to do . . . something.

More than something.

Truth was, I’d give absolutely everything I could.

Brenna pursed her lips. “Just you bein’ there for me that night meant everything. I don’t think I would have had the courage to call anyone else. I’ve never been so scared—for myself or for my son. You were there when we needed you most. I don’t know how to repay you for that.”

I gave a tight shake of my head, unable to hold back the moisture that rushed to my eyes. “You don’t need to repay me. The only thing I need is to know the two of you are safe. You keep my number close, okay? If you need anything, anything at all, I want you to call me.”

“I will,” she promised. Her gaze turned to the ground before she looked back up at me. Expression loaded with trust. “I just wanted to let you know.”

“I’m glad you did.”

Her nod was slight, and I gave her a small smile before she turned and climbed the steps leading from the basement floor meeting room.

Joy filled me full, and I turned back to the table and pressed my palms to it, head dropping as I pulled in a deep breath.

Two years ago, I’d taken the plunge and started accelerated online courses to get my psychology degree. Quietly at first, because I hadn’t quite put my finger on why I felt compelled to start down this path. Unsure of where I was going or if I’d stay the course.

Mostly I’d been uncertain of why I was doing it.

My purpose.

I’d finally realized I’d just wanted to make a difference.

If I could make one person’s life better, help them see the beauty of the world in the midst of so much cruelty and sorrow, it would be worth it.

Maybe I was doing it because of Sydney.

That was okay.

The only thing I knew was I wanted to pour something positive and good into the world after experiencing such a great loss.

That didn’t mean the last two years hadn’t been rough. It’d been difficult balancing all the online classes and now interning here with Dr. Kathy’s women’s program while I was still working at Pepper’s Pies, the diner my friend Rynna owned.

But after tonight?

I knew it was all going to be worth it.

With a smile on my face, I finished cleaning up the refreshment area while Kathy stacked the folding chairs.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder. “I am.”

We flipped off the lights and headed up the stairs. The darkness was thick as we made our way to the ground floor and let ourselves out the front door and down the steps that led to the sidewalk.