Standby (Open Skies Book 4) by Becca Jameson (best sales books of all time .TXT) 📗

but I still don’t like it, and I suspect you weren’t completely forthcoming with them either.”

“It’s amazing how much you already know about what happened here last night.” She sighed.

“Don’t be mad at your friends. They’re just worried about you. Everyone is. Now talk to me.”

She tipped her head to the side. “Why on earth would I share incredibly personal information with a man I’ve been drooling over for more than a year? If I wasn’t interested in sharing with my closest friends, why would I talk to you?”

He couldn’t keep from smiling. “You’ve been drooling over me?”

She groaned.

He cleared his throat, forcing himself to stick to the issue at hand here, her safety. Maybe he was exaggerating the extent of her problem, but he didn’t like the vibe he got at all, and years in the Army had taught him to trust his gut. “Sometimes it’s harder to talk to the people we’re closest to. You don’t know me as well. Might be easier to dump on me. Plus, I’m sure you don’t want to worry your girlfriends.”

Shayla said nothing as she finished her coffee. She kept the mug in her hands, idly playing with the rim. Her gaze was locked on the mug, but he doubted she was seeing it. “Why are you being so pushy?” she finally asked. “Why on earth do you care? It’s not like there’s anything you or anyone else can do about it.”

He leaned forward, dropping his foot to the floor and setting his elbows on his knees. “I care because it’s in my nature. I care because I don’t like to see any woman being pushed around. I would care even if I didn’t know you. Also, I’ve drooled over you a bit too.”

She gave him a wan smile at that last part.

“You’re sexy and mysterious and fun and if I hadn’t been so busy with work for the last few months and had paid attention to the fact that you were no longer dating the pilot, I would have swooped in and asked you out. I’m sorry I haven’t done so yet. I’m here now.”

“As much as I’d love to go out with you, now’s not a great time. My energy is zapped from dealing with Hawke. I can’t possibly enter into a new relationship right now.”

“How long ago did you break up with him?”

“Three months ago.”

Jake cringed. “And he’s still bothering you?”

“Yep.”

“Does he call? Text? Email?”

“All of the above.”

“How often?”

She drew in a breath and looked at him, seeming to try and decide how much she really wanted to share. “Every day, Jake.”

He nodded, forcing himself to remain calm so she would keep talking. “Why did you break up?”

“He was an asshole.”

“How? What kinds of things did he do?”

She sighed. “Look, I know you’re just trying to help, but I don’t want any help. I want to handle this my own way. It’s embarrassing and I’m not going to like the advice anyone has to give me.”

“Why? What’s wrong with advice?”

“Hawke Richman is a senior captain for Open Skies. He’s been with the airline twenty-five years. He’s a beloved employee who can do no wrong. There isn’t a single person within the company who would take my word over his. You’re a smart guy. You’ve seen how things are going in this country lately. When women speak up, they lose. They lose everything sometimes. They lose their jobs and often their self-esteem. They get chastised and treated like shit. I won’t let that happen to me. I love my job, and I don’t want to lose it over this. I’m going to wait him out. Eventually, he’ll give up and move on.”

Jake listened to every word carefully, knowing it was huge that she was revealing as much as she just did. He could read between the lines. Hawke Richman was a piece of shit. No doubt about it. Jake knew the stakes though. He’d seen it firsthand, unfortunately.

Yes. Jake understood exactly what Shayla was saying, and now wasn’t the time to point out to her that if she did nothing, Hawke would just do this again to some other woman. Shayla wasn’t in the mindset to absorb that or care. Not yet.

Jake made the split-second decision to share a personal story in hopes it would deepen Shayla’s trust in him. “Did you know I have a sister?”

Shayla shook her head, frowning.

“Shelly. She lives in Florida where my parents live. She was in an abusive relationship that lasted several years. It was incredibly hard for her to get out. Her ex gaslighted her every damn day. She couldn’t do anything right and he convinced her it was always her fault.

“If she’d started cooking earlier, his dinner would have been ready on time. If she hadn’t worn such a short skirt, other men wouldn’t have looked at her. If she’d done the laundry yesterday, his favorite shirt would be clean. On and on. Eventually, he beat her almost to death. The police called my parents from the hospital. Finally, she left him, but it took a lot of therapy for her to see the light.”

Shayla wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m so sorry, Jake.”

He held her gaze, his chest tightening. “I’m trying to point out that I understand abuse and gaslighting. It’s horrible. I suspect that’s what you’re going through and you’re too embarrassed to talk about it.”

Another tear fell and she looked away. He was hitting close to home, which had been his intention, but it also infuriated him to know some asshole was harassing Shayla.

“Did he hit you?” Jake forced himself to ask. He sat stiffly, torn between the desire to punch something or pull her into his arms. He would do neither.

Shayla swiped at tears from both eyes now. “Only once, and please, for the love of God, keep this between us. I don’t want my friends to know.”

“Okay. I promise. I won’t say a word. But let me help. Please.” Her situation was serious. No way would