I fight to silence the voice begging me to leave.Instead, I reach for the reminder within my heart, telling me to stay.
“I have terms of my own.Give me whatever proof you have.And he can stay where he’s at ’til college.”
“Not gonna happen,” I bite back despite the quivering overtaking me.
He releases me with a shove.I collide with my car.“I see why he likes you.Not very smart, but full of vigor.”His mouth quirks.“Don’t be stupid, girl.”
I find my spine and stand to my full height.“You didn’t pay for my protection, Hal.I have no problem letting everyone in this town know exactly what kind of man you are.”
Something switches off.His humanity.His soul.There’s nothing there except pure hatred.“Get off my land.”
A tremor of fear replaces the adrenaline fueling my defiance.“Not until you agree.”
When Hal takes another step, I cannot escape.“I won’t stand in the way of his mother and brother seeing him.And I won’t hold back any of the money that’s rightfully his.But if either of you steps one foot on my land again, I will protect what’s mine.”He lowers his gaze to mine, hands on the car, trapping me.“Do we have an understanding?”
Rage rolls off him like noxious fumes.It’d only take a strike of a match to cause an explosion.
I nod, unwilling to look away despite the cold fear slithering up my spine.It isn’t a man staring back at me.This is what a true monster looks like.
Idon’t remember the drive home.Or where my parents were when I entered the house.The first moment I come back into myself is when I open my bedroom door to find Jonathan sitting on the edge of my bed, holding his head with his elbows digging into his thighs.
He raises his head, relief sweeping across his face.I shut the door and lock it.He stands, and I rush into his arms, the suppressed fear rippling through my body in waves of tremors.
“Where have you been?Why are you shaking?”
I hold him tighter, listening to his heart pounding against my ear.The proof of life.Of love.That he is here and not the eleven-year-old with bruises on his ribs.Or the twelve-year-old with a broken arm.Or the fourteen-year-old with stitches on the back of his head.He’s safe.
“Sadie,” Jonathan says into my hair when I don’t let go.“Talk to me.”
I release a shuddering breath and ease out of his embrace.
I kick off my shoes and swipe the clothes from my bed.Jonathan follows my lead and props the pillows up against the headboard so he can sit.I crawl into his arms and rest my head on his chest again.
“Collin told me about your panic attack at the office.Are you okay?”
I nod.“Are you after my dad betrayed you?I can’t believe he did that.”
“Me neither.”I can hear the hurt in his words.“I trusted him.”
“So did I.”I swallow the lump in my throat, fighting back the tears.I don’t want to cry again.I’m so tired of crying.My entire body is exhausted.“I couldn’t breathe.He wanted to take you away from me.And then when your father… I couldn’t breathe.”
Jonathan whispers, as if afraid to know, “Where’d you go?”
“To find the truth.”
I suddenly realize I may have betrayed Jonathan’s trust when I looked at the pictures he gave to my dad.I jolt upright, prepared to plead for his forgiveness.
“What is it?”Fear flashes across his face.
“I found the pictures in my dad’s files,” I tell him.“I know they weren’t for me.I’m sorry if I—”
“It’s alright.”He sags against the pillow in relief.“You scared me.I mean, I don’t love that you had to see them.But I kept it a secret from you for years.I’m sorry.”
“They made me so angry.Jonathan, I have never felt so much rage in my entire life.It’s like I was on fire.I couldn’t see clearly.I couldn’t control anything.I just wanted to blow up the world.Which I kinda did.My world anyway.”
“What does that mean?”he asks, not following.
“My dad needed to know how much he hurt me.I don’t regret what I said to him.Not a word.”I brace myself when I confess, “Then… I went to see yours.”
