“I was there,” Adam said. “I have the frostbite to prove it.”
“No.” I shook my head. He was trying to help me, even then. I owed him more than the teasing excuse he was trying to give me. “I did something before that.”
He already knew that, or he at least knew something.
“I went somewhere I shouldn’t have, and something happened.” I gagged on the memory of Guy’s hands on me, his mouth... My stomach twisted and would have emptied itself if there’d been anything in it. “I’m not this girl. I’m not this stupid. I don’t know why I kept going back. It was so stupid, because Iknew. I kept lying to myself because I—I don’t know.” I went on like that, my words becoming vaguer and harsher as I spoke. “And I’m sorry I texted you like I did. I couldn’t think of anyone else.”
Adam was silent for a long time. A really long time. Too long. “Are you hurt?” he asked at last.
“No.” My voice was so quiet that wouldn’t have carried to him if he was even an inch farther away.
“Are you safe?”
I told him I was.
And then Adam said something that made me flinch. “Jolene, where did you go?”
I didn’t answer, because we both knew my options had been limited. It had been late; there had been a blizzard. And he was smart. He figured it out between one heartbeat and the next.
“What did he do?”
I didn’t even try to lie.
ADAM
When I got back inside my bedroom, I felt frozen solid. My legs didn’t move right and my chest ached. Even after the warmth from the heater soaked into my bones, I still felt that way.
Dad was on the phone with Mom. He must have been pacing outside my door because I could hear him perfectly.
“Yes, all night, I saw them myself... I agree... Sarah, I’ve already talked to him, but he isn’t saying much... Yes... He’s in his room... Nothing, he says, but would he tell me? Not yet, but I will. I’ve never actually seen her father, but I’ll get in touch with him somehow...”
I almost laughed. Jolene’s dad wasn’t going to care, assuming my dad could find him. Jolene hadn’t even seen him in months. Fire suddenly raced through my muscles and my hands formed into fists.
“Now’s good. Jeremy’s here... We can meet somewhere if you’d rather I not come to the house... Okay. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” A fist knocked on my door. “Adam?”
I opened it.
“I’m going to the house to talk with your mom. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but you’re not allowed to leave this apartment, do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
He gave me a nod, then he walked over to where Jeremy was dozing on the couch and relayed the same info. He left Jeremy with my phone and reminded him that I wasn’t to use it. If Jeremy opened his eyes, I didn’t see it, but he did take the phone.
Then Dad was gone.
I think I waited a full minute before moving toward Jeremy, but my blood was still pounding in my ears and it was possible my sense of time was off.
“Hey.” I kicked at the lump that was my sleeping brother.
“What!” Jeremy rolled over to glare at me.
“I need my phone.”
Jeremy tucked it under his pillow and started to lie down again. “Yeah, well, good luck with that.”
“I’m not messing around. Give it to me or I’ll take it from you.”
One eye opened. Then the other. Jeremy sat up, pulling my phone out and holding it in his lap. “Maybe you aren’t getting it, but you seriously screwed up more than your life last night.” He shoved me back a step without standing. “You’re always talking about what Greg would do when calling out me or Dad. What do you think he’d say to you right now, huh?” He shook his head and glanced down at my phone, swiping the screen to unlock it. “Forget it. I’m sick of you always acting like everyone else is the problem. Grow up, Adam. And here.” He tapped the phone a couple times and tossed it onto the coffee table. “Here’s your stupid voice mail from your equally stupid girlfri—”
