Poor Jo. Gracelyn couldn't even imagine what she was going through right now. The closest she came to understanding was what she'd suffered at the hands of her stalker in New York, but the difference was, she hadn't been in a relationship with that idiot. She hadn't loved him and trusted him not to hurt her. Jo had done all those things with Ian, and he'd still thrown it in her face and treated her like crap when she hadn't done anything to deserve it. How any man could hit a woman, she had no idea, but especially a woman as sweet and kind-hearted as Jo. It baffled her.
She rubbed Jo's back and did her best to comfort her while she cried. She knew that Jo wasn't a typically emotional girl, so Ian must've seriously put her through the wringer for her to be sobbing like this. "Oh, honey, don't even apologize. It's fine," Grace quickly brushed it off, still holding Jo's shoulders. She smiled at her, hoping to bring some life back into Jo's eyes and expression. "I'm just glad you're safe now. He hasn't tried to contact you or anything, has he? Because I've got a very strong and handsome friend here who could probably kick his ass if so persuaded," she said, only half-joking. If she knew anything about Kale, he would love to put a twerp like Ian in his place.