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“You don’t know?” he asked incredulously.

She did. She just didn’t want to answer him. Once he knew it all, he’d be so disappointed in her. Disgusted by her life.

And what is the alternative? Keeping this all a secret?

“Abby, if someone is threatening you, we can help,” Ed offered.

She sobbed out a breath. “You can’t. Nobody can.”

Kent shook his head. “Abby. You know who I am. What I do. The teams of men I have who work for me. There isn’t much I can’t do. And I can most certainly protect you. I will take you to Sanctuary with me, and I will make damn sure that nothing happens to you.”

“But you won’t want to take me with you once you know,” she whispered.

He frowned. “Know what?”

“How I’ve been lying to you.”

Kent didn’t explode like she thought he might. He didn’t do anything except give her a thoughtful look. Then he turned to Ed. “Give us a minute on our own?”

Ed shook his head. He was watching her carefully as well. “Wish I could, but it’s best just to get my questions out of the way now so you can take her home and get her settled. Got two of my deputies coming to help process the scene. They’ll be here soon and I’d really like some answers.” There was a stern note to his voice now.

Kent nodded. “Me too. Right, get it off your chest, Abby. Tell us the worst of it.”

She took a deep breath. There was no hiding from the truth anymore. She had to tell him. “The bruises are two days old. I got them that day that you...that you came here and I wouldn’t let you in the house.”

Kent’s eyes narrowed, but it was his only reaction to her statement. “That’s the reason you wouldn’t let me in? Why you were acting so odd? Who gave them to you?”

“My brother.”

“Max is back?” Ed asked sharply.

“Yes.”

“Damn it, Abby. Don’t you know there’s a warrant out for him? Do you know what kind of trouble you could get in for harboring him?”

To her surprise, she suddenly found herself behind Kent’s wide back. He stood between her and the sheriff. And when he spoke, it was in a voice she’d never heard before.

Controlled fury.

“First, don’t ever swear at her. Second, don’t take that tone with her. Third, she’s obviously a victim and there will be no threats of arresting her or anything else. Understand?”

“I...I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry.”

Kent turned so he still stood between them, but could stare at them both. “It’s okay. You obviously had other things on your mind.” He gave Ed another glare.

Ed huffed out a breath. “Sorry, Abby. Do you have any idea where Max is now?”

“No, that’s the thing. I think maybe whoever did this was looking for him. He said he was in trouble—”

“When isn’t he?” Ed remarked.

Abby nodded. She held her hands together tightly in front of her. “I know. But I think he’s in worse trouble than usual. He owes money. He gambles and he doesn’t know when to stop. And he’s using. I think he was high when he did this.” She pointed to her wrist.

“You should have told me,” Kent told her. “When I arrived, you should have told me he’d hurt you and that he was in your house.”

“I was scared.”

“Of me?”