Vigilant

“Do you think that guy, the ‘mystery man’, knew that? Is that why he saved you and left everyone else out there?”

Ari shook her head. “If he did, then he knows more than he should.”

Oliver raised an eyebrow but smiled. “That’s what superheroes do, right? They’ve gotta have an edge. Maybe he has an Alfred or something.”

The roommates parted ways and went to their respective rooms. Ari knew Oliver would be out like the dead in a matter of minutes. She wished she could be so lucky. Instead, she tossed and turned all night, dreaming of dark eyes and worn hands, pulling her from behind. His hands were hot and her stomach twisted, even in her sleep. When she tried to catch a glimpse of his face it was clouded—shaded from view.

Ari woke up panting, her arm slung over the pillow, clutching the black lacquered box.

TEN

“Thank you for being ready on time,” Ari said. Hope was in the passenger seat. They were on their way to register her back in school.

“Like I had much choice,” the girl mumbled. She wasn’t happy. Starting back to school was hard for these kids. Hope would struggle, like all the kids in and out of detention. It was Ari’s job to make sure she succeeded.

“Also, once a week I’m going to pick you up from school and we’re going to meet with a therapist.”

“A what? No, I don’t want to do that.”

“I think it will help,” Ari told her.

“I don’t really think I need to see a counselor, Ms. Grant. I’m not crazy.”

“Well, I think you do. And so does Judge Hatcher.” Ari glanced at Hope who had an irritated look on her face. “Going to a therapist doesn’t mean you’re crazy. It means you need someone to talk to that can help you sort through the emotions and problems you’re having right now.”

“I don’t have emotional problems.”

Ari bit back a retort about the violence and prostitution the girl had been involved in since a young age. “Good, then I guess the therapy won’t take long then.”

The early-morning traffic made the drive take longer than she’d hoped. Currently, they were trapped behind a school bus that stopped every two miles. Hope picked up a file Ari shoved in the middle console and read the tab on the edge. “Jace Watkins?”

Ari reached for the file and stashed it in the backseat. “You know you can’t read that.”

“I know him,” Hope said. “He’s my neighbor.”

“Still?” Ari asked. She fought a shiver thinking that Jace could have been that close this whole time.

“His auntie lives there, but he doesn’t come around much.”

“Well, I think he’s in lockup a lot of the time.”

“He’s mean,” Hope said. Ari glanced over and the girl was staring out the window. “He was always mean to me and the other kids when we were little.”

“You’re a lot younger than him. He’s almost twenty. So, nearly four years?”

“I guess. He was always around, though.” The school bus made another stop and Ari waited as the kids piled into the vehicle from the sidewalk. Hope fussed with the door lock, flicking it on and off. “He was my first.”

“First?” Ari asked, knowing good and well what she meant. The bus moved forward and Ari did the same. They were close to the school and when the bus pulled into the drop-off lane, Ari continued to the parking lot. She would have to walk inside with Hope and complete the registration paperwork.

“Yeah. I lost my virginity to him.”

Ari eased the car into a parking spot and simply said, “Oh,” because what else could she say?

“I was eight.”

The car jerked to a harsh stop. “Eight?” Ari clarified.

“Yeah,” Hope said, shrugging. She began to gather her things from the floor of the car.