There are so many things in that statement. Things I can’t even start to approach. I don’t want to be the one to tell her that this is far from over. That there may be a worse predator on the loose than her father, that I’m starting to wonder if her mom told the truth in her confession, because after going to that apartment I’m not completely convinced Rose is dead.
There’s a knock on the door and we both look up. I walk over and open it. Ozzy stands in the hallway.
“Hey, I’ve been looking all over for you.” His eyes flick to Juliette. “You okay?”
Tears prick at my eyes, because, no, I’m not okay. I’m devastated about Ezra and it’s obvious he doesn’t know.
“Can you take me home?”
He frowns. “Sure.”
I look back at Juliette. “Do you want a ride?”
“Nah, I told Dave I’d stick around.” She smiles sheepishly. Huh. Her and Dave. Rose wouldn’t approve. “Thanks, though.”
Ozzy threads his fingers through mine and we walk down the hall.
“You and Juliette seem to be, uh, friendly these days.”
“Yeah. We do seem that way,” I reply, grabbing my coat off the couch and sliding it on. As we leave, I can’t hel
p but consider that the reason I don’t have any girlfriends may be as much my fault as anyone’s. I’m going to have to learn to trust again, and Juliette may not be the worst place to start.
20
Finn
“Dude,” I call, running out the double door of the barn. Ezra’s a few feet ahead of me, headed straight to his motorcycle. “Wait up.”
“Not now, Holloway,” he says, fumbling for his keys.
I grab his shoulder, and he jerks back, flinging me aside. Not many guys are bigger than Ezra Baxter, but I’m one of them.
I straighten up and shove him, then grab the keys while he’s off kilter. “You’re not driving home.”
“I’m not drunk.”
I eye him. His hair is disheveled. His eyes tinged with red. I saw him drink a cup of the toxic punch. “Well, you look like shit and I’m not burying a friend.” I jerk my head. “Get in the truck. I’ll drive you home.”
I’m surprised he doesn’t argue, but we’ve all spent too much time mourning a classmate already this year.
He gets in the passenger seat and slams the door. I don’t speak until I stop the car at the edge of the long driveway. “What the hell is going on?”
“I ended my relationship with Kenley.”
I stare at him. “You did what?”
“Had to be done, bro.” He stares out the window. He’d been acting weird for the past few days—ever since we went to the apartment.
“I know this has been a tough week—"
“It’s not about this week,” he says. “It’s about the fact I’m not putting Kenley in danger.”
“I don’t follow.”
He frowns and scratches the back of his neck. “My dad is not a good person, Finn. He’s got no boundaries. He slept with his best friend’s daughter. Your girlfriend. Seduced her on that dating app and god knows what else. We didn’t know about that, but we do know about the stuff he’s sent to Kenley. My father seems to want what doesn’t belong to him. The best thing for all of us is for me to keep my distance.”
“You think you’re doing her a favor?”