And she doesn’t know I gave my statement.
A dopey grin unfurls on my lips.
“You’re fucked.”
Her eyes open into bottomless black voids. “What?”
I’m giggling now. My hands and feet are kinda numb, but I don’t care because, “Even if I die, you’re so fucking fucked. I told themeverything. You’ve been accused of drugging, assaulting and raping a minor. You’re under investigation right now.”
Through tears of laughter— or fear, I don’t know anymore— I watch her face morph and her body uncoil.
“No, you— you didn’t. You—”
It’s hilarious. So hilarious I can’t breathe. Pins and needles prick my lungs from the inside. My vision vignettes. Forcing an inhale through my nose, I count to five. Exhale. Again.
Calm down. Stay awake. Keep her talking.
But I’m so tired. My eyes want to close. So bad.
Her wavering silhouette dances in figure eights.
“There’s gotta be a way out of this. There has to be. I can’t go tojail,” she whines, pacing half-moons around me. “I’mnot. No fucking way. I won’t. A lawyer can fix this. Daddy has the best lawyers. I just need to pretend I’m the one who found you. Yes, that will work…”
Someone turns the volume down. I’m underwater, the waves rocking me back and forth… back and forth. There’s a little bubble over my nose and mouth but it’s not enough oxygen. My thundering heart begins to slow. A glacial chill settles around my bones. It’s not so bad here. But I’m so cold…
Light bursts through the darkness.
Warmth pours over me like thick honey.
Sunshine.
60
Remy
Fifteen Minutes Earlier
Imight be a hypocrite.
But for a good reason.
Soft music filters through my truck’s speakers, doing jack-shit to calm the jittering anxiety coursing through me. This nagging, awful feeling hasn’t left all day. It started in the middle of class earlier. Though… my sixth sense wasn’t wrong. The evil whore pounced the moment she saw an opening. Sure, I threatened her and Win gave his statement, but nothing has erased the impending doom looming over my head.
I can’t shake it.
Historically, the most dangerous time for a victim is after taking proactive action against their abuser. While Grant and Marcus are already in custody thanks to concrete evidence from the other assaults, Jessica hasn’t been arrested yet. And if the desperate, panicked look in her eyes told me anything, it’s that she’ll go to any length to avoid the consequences of her actions.So yeah, I followed my boyfriend to his meeting in CapeCannon— not because I didn’t trust him, but because there’s a massive target painted on his back.
Am I justifying my light stalking? Maybe. But I’m not taking any chances.
Not when it comes to Win.
My phone screen lights up.Speak of the devil.
Hey baby, meeting went well. Not really in the mood to stay at my parents… You at your place?
I immediately shoot off a response, avoiding the question. From my spot on the side of the church, I watch a small group scatter across the parking lot into various vehicles… but no raven-haired, tatted, boy in a black hoodie. My fingers drum nervously on the steering wheel.
Where is he?
