“Ava?” Richard’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Tell him he’s wrong. Tell him that you don’t have a boyfriend you’re not telling me about.”
But Ava pinched her lips shut, holding his gaze as his face shifted from confusion to understanding. And then to anger and hurt.
His brows pulled into a sharp v, eyes narrowed and filling with tears.
“Shecan’ttell you that because she’s been lying to us this whole time,” Maverick snapped. “Wren Brandler posted a picture with her at some flashy gala that took place just before she said yes to my invitation at the travel agency.”
Ava looked from Richard to Maverick, and then at the other faces in the room. Hurt. Betrayal. Concern. And fear. She saw that too. They had trusted her, and now that trust was evaporating before her eyes.
And for good reason. If Wren discovered her whereabouts, it would be bad for her and anyone who tried to protect her or stand in his way.
A tsunami raged in her chest. Sirens screamed in her head. A warning of more to come. Much more, if they weren’t careful.
“Did you look up my name?” she asked Maverick, her words wilted and weak.
When Maverick only shook his head, she spoke up again.
“Please tell me you didn’t look up my name. Myrealname.”
“I’m not stupid,” Maverick finally said before plopping back down on the bed. “Of course, I wouldn’t do that.”
Relief pushed through her. At least there was that. Still, she’d need to call Detective Lingley right away.
“It doesn’t make any difference anyway,” Maverick said. “You lied to me and to everyone else. You should just go home to your boyfriend. The mafia doesn’t care about you, anyway.”
“Maverick,” Andie hissed.
But Richard stayed silent, his scrutinizing glare saying he felt the same way.
Maverick didn’t know the whole story, none of them did, but he was right about one thing. Sheshouldleave. Hadn’t she caused enough pain here? And now this. Wren wasn’t going to stop. He’d found someone—somethingto him—that he could control, manipulate, and violate on a whim. In his mind, he owned her. She was his property and he wanted her back.
Go, Ava. Just go.
The room and everything in it became a blur as she hurried to the door. Down the cabin steps. And toward the go cart Richard had left there earlier. Number four—it was her only way out.
“Ava, wait,” Betty called behind her. She’d forgotten Betty was even there.
Ava climbed into the cart, sank the clutch, and turned over the key.
“Ava!” This time it was Andie.
Emmitt called her name next as he barreled out of the cabin and jumped over the banister. “Where are you going?” he breathed, eyes alive with chaos.
She looked up to the cabin door. No Richard. His family was more concerned about her than he was.
“I’ll find someplace,” she assured. “And I’ll leave this out front once the cab comes. Please, tell everyone I’m sorry. I didn’t want any of this to happen.”
Emmitt nodded. “I know. I will.”
Ava pressed on the gas as she let up on the clutch. The cart jumped forward with a screech. She sped up and switched gears. Behind her, she could hear Betty saying that she needed space.
Betty was right. If she could, Ava would drive this cart straight into the next town and stay there until…until…
But there was no answer for that. She’d ruined the peace in their family. Caused anger and contention and an ugly war that would last who knew how long? And what if Maverick had done more damage to himself by doing what he did?
She drove the cart to the front of the Homestead, took out her phone, and searched up a cab. She’d walk until one could meet her on the roadside, getting further and further as she moved. That’s what she needed—distance. And whether Richard knew it or not, that’s what he and his family needed too. Distance from the girl who brought trouble with her everywhere she went. Heck, had the Durans known about the dark cloud that followed her, they might have run in the opposite direction, and fast. They’d have been better off for it.
Maybe she really was bad. Maybe she really had deserved all of the horrible things that had happened to her over the years. She’d driven her dad crazy even as a kid. She’d brought the ugliest sort of rage out in Wren too. And now, now she’d taken this perfectly lovely family…someone as light-hearted and silly as Maverick. Someone who probably wouldn’t hurt a fly, and she’d found the fury in him too.
