“No, he was between us. Played hockey. He and his friends always gave me the creeps, but Vi had a huge crush on him.” Alyssa rolls her eyes a little.
My fist clenches in my lap. Now I remember Aaron, and his friends. They were always bragging in the gym locker room about all the girls they “hooked up” with at parties. It’s not really hooking up if the girls are drugged out of their minds and can’t consent.
“Yeah, I remember those guys. Has he . . . changed since high school?”
“A bit. He doesn’t party as much as he did back then, and he takes care of Vi. Buys her anything she needs, pays for their apartment and groceries.” She pauses and bites her lips, like she’s thinking hard about something. “But, I don’t know, I still get a weird feeling in my stomach whenever I’m around him, which isn’t often, at least, since he insists they stay home most of the time. I mostly only see her when I’m able to drop by the newsroom or she’s free to grab coffee or a bite to eat together.”
Something about this isn’t sitting right with me. Violet was always spending time with her friends, going out for coffee or hikes, meeting people at the library to study. She hated being at home, told me once she felt claustrophobic if she didn’t get outside at least once a day.
I want to ask Alyssa if he lets Violet hang out with other guys, but I don’t know how to bring that up without revealing that I saw her earlier.
“Well, tell her I said I wish her the best, just in case I don’t get the chance to see her again while I’m here.” Hopefully Alyssa doesn’t think too hard about what I mean by again.
“Oh, I’ll make sure you two see each other,” Alyssa says, a little conspiratorially.
We spend the rest of lunch catching up. She tells me about her job as a Child Protective Services agent, and I tell her about some of the more interesting places the fair has taken me. I definitely don’t tell her about what I, and most of the other guys at the fair, actually do in those towns. That’s a burden I have to carry on my own.
After we finish eating, I remind my sister to tell the folks working the ticket booth that she’s related to me so she gets the friends and family discount on tickets.
When we part ways, I still have a sick feeling in my gut about what’s going on with Violet and this boyfriend of hers. I hope I can see her again and get her to talk to me.
I try to get Violet off my mind as I head to the grocery store my target frequents. While I know he’ll likely walk into the haunted house at some point while the fair is in town, I still want to keep an eye on him. I’d never forgive myself if Ifound out a target had the chance to hurt someone else while I was in town just because I wasn’t being vigilant.
Chapter Ten
Violet
WHEN I GETback to our apartment, Aaron isn’t home. Thank god. I’m still shaking with fear and adrenaline—and need. Damon gave me the best orgasm of my life, but it wasn’t enough to put out the fire he lit in me. I need a minute to cool down before I face my boyfriend, or else he’ll know something is up. He’s always suspicious of me anyway. And I guess now he has a reason to be.
I don’t know what came over me, why I cheated on the person I’ve been with for years. And with Damon, of all people.
When he first left, I was heartbroken. I kept hoping that he’d come back. Or at least text me. I thought our relationship meant more to him, like it did to me. After a year of hearing nothing from him, I finally got the message. Loud and clear. I wasn’t important enough to him.
When I told Aaron about my heartbreak over Damon leaving, he didn’t take it well. We were talking about exes, andDamon was really the closest thing I had to one. That was when Aaron told me I wasn’t allowed to see Damon if he ever came back. Said I wouldn’t like the consequences if he found out I had any contact with him.
I make myself a cup of tea then start rummaging through the cabinets for something to make for dinner. Maybe if I make him his favorite meal, we can have a nice night that ends in decent sex. Though I know it won’t be close to what I could have had with Damon.
Aaron cared about my needs in the beginning—both sexual and emotional. He was funny, charming, respectful around my parents but flirty and handsy when they weren’t looking. He wasn’t always so . . . mean. I didn’t used to feel the need to tiptoe around him, to make sure he was happy so he wouldn’t take it out on me. I think back to when he hit me and wonder what I should have done differently to prevent it.
I’m lost in thought, trying to pinpoint when my relationship with Aaron went to shit, when I let myself get trapped in a relationship like this, when Aaron, Zach, and Tyler burst through the door in a fit of laughter and boyish shoves.
I turn to greet them, taking a step out of the kitchen toward the front door, and immediately remember I’m not wearing any panties under my skirt. Fuck.
I school my face, hoping it’s not currently beet red. “Hey, guys, I didn’t know you were coming over.” I try not to fidget with the hem of my skirt, but I want to pull it down as far as possible to keep myself covered.
Aaron walks up to me, gripping my hip possessively and planting a wet kiss on my temple. “Yeah, we were gonna watch the game at Zach’s, but his girl was being a bitch about it, so we came here.”
When he sent the text asking if we could talk, did he expect me to just wait here all evening for him?
“Well, I was going to make some chicken and rice, but I don’t think we’d have enough. I can order pizza?” I offer, my voice strained. I can barely look Aaron in the eyes as I talk to him.
“That would be great, babe.” He gives me a thin smile.
“Great.” My voice creaks, and my eyes bounce between Aaron’s nose and the hallway that leads to our room. “Let me just go change. You guys decide what you want while I’m gone.”
Aaron doesn’t release my hip, holding me hostage as he scans my face. “Why are you acting so weird? Why do you need to change?”
“Oh . . . I’m, I just thought it would be just us tonight, so I, uh . . .” I lean in so I can whisper in his ear, trying to soundseductive and not scared. “I’m not wearing anything under my skirt.”
