“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“I think it’s time you leave. Bradley will get in touch.”
“I don’t want that asshole to get in touch. I want you to get out of her clothes, you little thief.”
“They were getting a divorce.”
His expression freezes, and I immediately regret what I’ve said. Did I really saywere? When he speaks again, his voice is quieter, calmer.
“She didn’t tell me that.”
“It might explain why she left. He knew about you.”
“Of course he knew. They had an arrangement.” He squints, as if seeing me for the first time. “From the looks of things, you’re part of it. She suspected something would happen, of course. He’s always searching for another young filly. What confuses me is why you all fall for it? It’s so obvious what he is.”
“What’s that?”
I hate this man. I want him gone.
“A predator. A cheat. What would the kids today call him? A fuckboy?”
“It’s not like that,” I say, before I can think.
He gives a cruel, mocking laugh. “Like hell it isn’t. Now get out of her clothes!”
He steps towards me. His eyes are wild, unsteady. He grabs my wrist, and I scream and try to get free, but he’s strong. He pulls at the fabric of the dress, and the shoulder strap tears. He steps away, looking confused and ashamed, just as the front door slams.
“Brie!”
“Help!” I call out, pulling my arm free.
Bradley is up the stairs in seconds. “What’s going on here?”
“He attacked me.”
“Where is she?” Jesse yells, ignoring me. Bradley pushes him roughly out of the door and towards the stairs. Jesse stumbles down, and Bradley follows him, his face dark. “Tell me where she is!”
Bradley reaches him at the front door and gives him a final push onto the veranda. Jesse calls out some more insults before retreating up the driveway.
“Brie, are you OK?” Bradley sprints up the stairs again, and I’m soon in his arms. “Tell me what happened.”
“It was nothing.” I take a breath to hold back the tears. “He was just looking for Grace.”
“It didn’t sound like nothing.”
“He didn’t like me wearing her clothes.”
He touches the strap of the dress like it’s a wound. “It’s none of his business.”
“Jesse probably thought I was stealing them.”
“He’s a parasite.” He screws up his face as if he wants to spit out a wad of bile. “He’s been circling Grace for years.”
I remember what Jesse said about Bradley—and the book I found—and pull away. I’m not necessarily surprised that Bradley has had other affairs, but Jesse called him a predator. There was nothing predatory about how he acted with me. Seductive, maybe, but he was always respectful and kind. Nothing to suggest he’s been screwing random undergraduates for more than a decade.
“What’s wrong? What did he say?”
