Finding Carly (SEAL Team Hawaii #5)(41)

This was one of the reasons Carly loved Kenna so much. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, and it was usually what Carly needed to hear. “Thanks,” she whispered.

“Giving pep talks is what friends are for,” Kenna said with a smile. “And for the record, I love having you back at work. Don’t get me wrong, I like Vera, Justin, Charlotte, and the others, but having you there makes the time go by so much faster.”

“I’m actually surprised by how much I missed it. I didn’t think I would, and it’s a little scary being out in public, but I definitely like spending time with you again.”

The two friends smiled at each other, then started back down the aisle. They were in the middle of a conversation about pickles—if sweet or dill were better—when someone came around the corner and almost ran into them.

Carly froze, gaping at Luke and his girlfriend in shock.

For what seemed like a full minute, the four of them stared at each other without a word. Carly could feel her heart beating a million miles an hour. She felt paralyzed with fear. This was pretty much her worst nightmare come true. The reason she’d hidden out in her apartment for so long. She never wanted to see Shawn’s son again—and now here they were, face-to-face in the damn grocery store.

Both Luke and Rebecca glared at her.

“Move,” Kenna said in a low, determined tone.

Carly wanted to tell her to hush, to not make Luke angry, but her voice wouldn’t work.

“You move,” Rebecca replied in a pissy voice.

“I didn’t have anything to do with what happened,” Luke blurted out of the blue.

Carly was surprised he’d brought it up. She could only stare at him.

“My life’s been a living hell for the last few months. I had to hire a fucking lawyer to get the cops off my back, but even still, they’re following me around and digging through my trash and shit. You need to talk to them, tell them to back the fuck off,” Luke said.

“If you didn’t do anything wrong, then you don’t have anything to worry about,” Kenna retorted, taking a small step sideways so she was partially standing in front of her. “And Carly has no control over what the cops do anyway.”

“You ruined my dad’s life!” he seethed. His gaze was glued to Carly’s, and the venom she saw there made her tremble.

But then she remembered something Elizabeth had said in their self-defense lesson. She’d said that acting as if you aren’t afraid can many times throw off an attacker. They don’t like confident victims. They want the people they’re beating up, mugging, or intimidating to cower in fear. It gives the attacker power.

The last thing Carly wanted to do was give Luke more power over her. His father had done that long enough. So she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. She was still trembling from the adrenaline coursing through her body, but she forced herself to meet his gaze.

“Your father ruined his own life,” she spat. “I didn’t ask him to belittle me and treat me as if I were a moron. I didn’t deserve to be smacked around. No one does. I don’t think he even liked me very much, so I have no idea why he wasn’t thrilled when I finally broke up with him. All he had to do was move on, and he’d still be here to knock around some other woman. But instead, he lost his fucking mind. He tried to kidnap me, which I’m sure you knew all about. I have no doubt you knew every detail of his plan—and that makes you just as bad as he was.”

Carly was practically sweating by the time she’d finished speaking, but it felt good to stand up to Luke. She’d tried to make the man like her for way too long, and it was freeing to finally not give a shit what he thought of her.

Luke took a step toward her, and Kenna said, “Do it, asshole. I dare you.” She was holding her phone up, obviously filming.

He glared at them both and scowled. “You aren’t worth the effort,” he said.

“Come on,” Rebecca said, tugging on his arm.

“I’m guessing he treats you like shit,” Carly said in a slightly more subdued tone. “Get out now while you can. Before he ruins your life.”

“Shut up, bitch!” Luke growled. He turned to his girlfriend and pushed her hard enough to make her stumble. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

He left his cart right there at the end of the aisle as he stomped off, with Rebecca protesting about leaving their groceries.

“What a fucking dickhead,” Kenna said, lowering her phone.

Carly couldn’t stop herself from throwing her arms around her friend. She wanted to thank her for standing up for her. For being there. For being smart enough to film their encounter, thus making Luke think twice about whatever he might have done to her. She also needed Kenna’s support so she didn’t fall into a puddle right there in the middle of the store.

“You’re okay,” Kenna soothed, holding onto her tightly. She obviously felt her shaking. They stood there in each other’s arms for at least a minute before Carly felt as if she wouldn’t fall on her face if she let go.

Taking a deep breath, she did her best to get control over her emotions. “That was kind of fun.”

Kenna grinned. “It was, wasn’t it?”

“And Elizabeth was right, pretending you aren’t scared does kind of work.”

“You were amazing,” Kenna praised. “I bet it felt good too, didn’t it?”