Finding Him (Him Series Book 2)

27-Human anger doesn't serve God

Hunter

Leaving Izabelle in that cell had nearly brought him to his knees.

He'd wanted to hold her. Comfort her. But if he'd wrapped his arms around her like he'd longed to do, touched her at all, he would never have been able to leave her in that cell. It killed him that the ugliness of jail had touched his sweet, innocent woman.

She didn't belong there, and every ounce of strength he had wasn't enough to keep him from ruining everything by doing something stupid. Hunter knew he needed Jesus and he prayed. Harder than he'd ever prayed in his life.

It had been that kind of night. And it seemed to only get worse.

When Lucy walked in with Kyle, his chest tightened. It was clear the two of them had been together tonight. He had God to thank for keeping his temper in check until he calmed down enough to realize nothing had happened between his baby girl and Izabelle's brother.

It wasn't easy to accept that his only child loved another man, but he was grateful she had chosen a believer. It was Anna's most whispered prayer that Lucy come to Jesus. Their baby girl was everything Anna prayed she would be. He was the disappointment, but no more. Jesus was in his heart now.

Anna had kneeled for her nightly prayers treating them as intentional, deliberate time with God. Prayer had been her lifeline. His wife had been an inspiration, and he'd always love her, but it was Izabelle he couldn't stop thinking about. Izabelle was the one he loved now.

After a quick shower, he pulled on athletic shorts and a t-shirt and knelt by the bed. Prayer had kept him focused on getting Izabelle home safely. She'd said she felt God with her tonight. He felt Him too, despite the years he'd spent running. No more. Christ would always be first in their lives.

He'd asked the Lord to guide him in his relationship with Izabelle, and he was sure God wanted him to love her. Hunter did love her. Why hadn't he told her that? She'd said the words to him, and he'd meant to tell her but Lucy called.

They hadn't talked about it. She needed to know how much she meant to him. It was the last thought he had before falling asleep. He didn't know how long he'd slept before he was awakened by her screams.

Racing to her room, he found her thrashing on the bed like before, crying out, trapped in the clutches of a nightmare, fighting demons he couldn't see.

"Let me out!" she whimpered.

"Izabelle." His tone was urgent, but like before, she didn't seem to hear.

"Don't touch me!" she wept brokenly, tears streaming down her cheeks and her arms flailing. "Don't hurt me!"

Her pain split his heart wide open. Izzy continued to thrash. Afraid, she'd hurt herself, he cautiously stepped forward. "Baby, I'd never hurt you."

She suddenly went still. Time slowed.

"Hunter?"

"It's me." He let out a breath of relief. "You're safe."

Her eyes opened and crashed into his. She looked dazed. "I-I did it again. You must think something is wrong with me."

Knowing her past, he understood what demons haunted her. They haunted him too. Especially the night Kyle had called. He wondered if she'd trust him enough to talk about it.

He wanted to hold her. Soothe her. But he was afraid touching her would make it worse. He settled on the only words that mattered. "Only Jesus could stop the pain."

"Oh, Hunter," she wept. "I know and I have prayed." She pushed the hair from her face with a trembling hand. "Kyle says sometimes God uses suffering to make us stronger."