“Thinking we can have a Victor-free weekend.At least right now.”Her gaze softened, becoming almost wistful.“Maybe one day, the years I spent with him will feel like nothing more than a distant dream.But right now, I’m constantly having to remind myself he doesn’t control me anymore.”
Without thinking, I reached across the console and threaded my fingers through hers.Her skin was warm.Soft.Grounding.
“He’ll never hurt you again, Ariana.I won’t let him.Not while I’m still breathing.I swear to you.”
She didn’t answer, but her fingers curled gently around mine before she slipped them free, turning her gaze back to the passing trees.
“Has this always been home?”she asked, her change of subject obvious.“After you…left Maine?”
“My mom’s sister lived outside the city,” I responded.“I was sent to live with her and her husband.A few months later, she learned she was pregnant and told my social worker she couldn’t handle me anymore.”
“But she was your aunt.”
“In her defense, I was a really angry kid.Angry at my dad.At the world.But at myself more than anything.I don’t blame her for sending me away.I was a lot to handle.”
“I’d say you’restilla lot to handle,” she shot back playfully.
“Truer words have never been spoken.”I flashed her a grin.
“Is that when you were sent to your first foster family?”
“It was.”
“How was that?”she asked, almost hesitant.
“Some decent families.But the system’s stretched thin.Troubled kids like me don’t exactly make life easy, so I got moved around a lot.I learned not to get too attached to any one place.Or person.”
“That sounds so lonely.”
“It was.But then…”
“Yes?”She perked up, obviously interested in this part of my life.A part I hadn’t talked about much.
Which was why I wanted to take her to Atlanta.To meet one of the people who knew me then.
“I met Samuel.He goes by Gideon now, but that’s a story for another time.He was another foster kid.We lived in the same home for a bit.”I laughed to myself at the memory.“God, we butted heads at first.”
“You?”she said in mock disbelief.
“I know.Shocking.”I huffed a laugh.“But he’s like a brother now.You’ll meet him tonight.He lives in Atlanta with his wife.”
Her head turned sharply toward me.“Really?”
“If you’re okay with it,” I added quickly.“If you’d rather do something else, we can.I want to show you who I really am.And Gideon… He’s family.”
“Sounds like the perfect opportunity for some payback.”
I raised an eyebrow.“Payback?”
“For the morning I walked in on you and my mom talking about me as a little girl.I plan to get all the dirt on you from your friend.”
“On second thought, maybe wewon’tgo see him.”
“Too late.You promised.I can’t wait to learn all your secrets, Henry Fontaine.”
“I’m looking forward to it, Ariana Summers.”
She relaxed into her seat.“I like that.”
