“You’re in serious trouble, sis. Let’s start with assault with a deadly weapon. That charge could land you in prison for a longtime, especially if it’s proven you had every intent to murder.” He rubbed his temple. “Did you? Intend to kill the frat boy?”
I angled my head. “Really? If I did, he would be dead.”
A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Well, you better hope you can prove that.”
Anger swirled around me like a raging summer storm. “He almost raped Andie!”
“I’m really sorry about Andie. Truly, I am. But was that reason enough to shoot him?” His tone softened. “You could’ve run for help.”
I reared back, horror stealing my breath. “Who was going to help? Drunk frat boys? If I left that room, he would’ve completely violated Andie.”
“He’s pressing charges, Grace.” He pinned his chestnut-color eyes on me. “Do you know who Frat Boy is?”
“I don’t care.” I pushed out a frustrated groan.
“You should.” His tone was even, but fear washed over him. Duke was hardly afraid of anything, except when threats and harm came to his family. “The boy’s father is a judge. The same judge who presided over my case.”
I didn’t know why I was laughing. Maybe it was the fate of the Hart family. We didn’t have luck when it came to the law. My brother Denim had ended up in prison for a murder he hadn’t committed. Duke had his own issues with the law. Now, it was my turn.
“You think this is funny, Grace?” Duke straightened in his chair, nostrils flaring. “Do you want to spend time in jail? Because between Judge Dixon and the DA, who is not a fan of the Harts, both will go to great lengths to ensure you’re behind bars.”
The idea of living in a small space sent shards of glass through me. I wouldn’t survive for a second. Still, I wasn’t thinking of jail time. I had to protect my friend.
Silence ticked for a beat.
“You know that your concealed carry permit is only for self-defense. And what’s going on with you?”
I bit my bottom lip. “I don’t understand the question.”
“Fallyn thinks something happened to you. When she saw you on campus, you walked right by her, which is unlike you. She even called out to you, and you didn’t respond.”
Fallyn Williams Hart—former ATF agent, who’d gone undercover to nail Duke to the wall, turned college professor, and married Duke. I hadn’t seen that coming. Neither had my brothers.
“What is she now? A profiler?” I volleyed back in a sarcastic tone. “I don’t need her reading me.”
“So you didn’t hear her or see her?” Duke asked.
I tugged on my ear, lowering my gaze to my lap. “No.”
“What are you hiding, Grace? I know you well. You play with your ear when you don’t want to tell me something.”
If I told him that I thought someone was stalking me, he would immediately have bodyguards on me twenty-four seven. Exactly like he had before he’d gone to prison. I couldn’t handle someone watching me, even if it was to protect me. Besides, I was skilled in self-defense and a host of other ways to protect myself.
“Talk to me, Grace.” His tone was warm and pleading. “Are you having night terrors again?”
My head shot up.
He gave me a sad smile.
What had happened to me was my burden to bear. Not his. Not Dillon’s and not Denim’s. I made the choice to leave home. I made the choice to believe Miguel Rivera. Sure, I could blame my brothers for leaving me with our father, but they had to build lives of their own. If Dillon, Denim, or Duke had stayed, thenthey probably would’ve killed our father, which was one reason I had left as well.
“Grace?” he probed, with pity dripping in his voice.
I held up my hand. “Don’t. I love you. But you can’t help me.” My muscles tightened. “You can’t take away my memories. You would never understand, Duke. You’re a man, and not one man on this planet would understand how a woman feels when she’s being raped or the aftereffects that we live with for the rest of our lives.” I shuddered out a painful breath. “I’ll be scarred both physically and emotionally until the day I die.” Tears poured out. “I’m afraid I’ll never have a happily ever after with a husband and children. I’ll never have what you, Denim, and Dillon have.” I poked my finger in my chest, repeatedly. “I fight every freaking day to keep the past from bombarding me. You guys would never understand. So I don’t care if the frat boy was the president’s son.” I sniffled and hiccupped. “I will not stand idle and witness a rape.” I slapped a hand on the table. “I will not. Andie doesn’t deserve to live with the pain I live with.”
He was kneeling in front of me before I could blink. “Sis, take a breath.”
I gulped in air. “What would you have done if you walked in and saw a big asshole raping me?”
