He says it like it isn’t optional.
“No, no! That’s okay. You can drive away.” I open the door and stick my leg out but freeze. I rummage through my bag and pull out my phone. “I need your number.”
His brow furrows.
“In case I report Gabe to the police, I’ll have a witness,” I lie.
There is no possible way I’d call the police. I just don’t like the idea of this being the last time I talk to him.
“Trust me. The cops have my number.”
I frown, but I’m a quick thinker. “We can talk about your brother. Later.”
He hesitates, but that works, and he recites the number. I send him a text to make sure he didn’t give me a fake one. His phone vibrates in the cupholder.
Nice.
I hide my smile and exit the car. I hurry up the fence line, get through the gates and walk the long drive to my front door. Due to the property’s size, it takes about ten minutes. As the front door opens, I glance over my shoulder. Far in the distance, Jack’s car pulls away.
He really waited for me to get inside safely.
Something warm spreads in mychest.
And then I feel empty.
I sigh and march upstairs. My parents are surely asleep long ago.
I shower and let the traumatic memories surface, hoping the water will wash them down the drain.
They don’t. They linger.
I can’t get clean enough, and I scrub and scrub till my skin is raw. It isn’t so much that Gabe fingered me. It’s more that he betrayed me. He was someone I’d bet my life would never do what he did. He took something from me. He shattered my belief there are some people so good, you can always count on them.
As bile rises up my throat, I flip the shower off and get out. It’s making me feel sicker.
In bed, I scroll through my phone, answering a few work emails about tomorrow’s morning service. Then I open my texts and frown.
He didn’t respond. Sure, my message was, ‘its morgan,’ but even a quick, ’got it,’ would have been nice.
My thumbs type fast.
Me:thank u for driving me home.
That’s good. He saved me from Gabe, too.
Me:And for saving me.
I stare at the glowing screen, my heartbeat inching higher.
Jack Killborne:welcome
One word. My heart skips a beat. I exist again.
I am about to fire off another text but stop myself. I need to slow down and sleep on this.
Jack, Gabe, tonight. It’s overwhelming, and something inside me knows texting Jack anything else won’t make the storm inside of me go away.
Chapter 7
