The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 1)

Maggie sighed and swirled the liquid around in her cup. So many confessions had fallen from her lips in the last few days.

“Maggie?” Raine prodded.

“My husband, Michael’s father.”

Silence greeted her admission, and Maggie glanced up into Raine’s eyes. They were colored dark with concern.

“So, this man is dangerous?”

Maggie’s eyes narrowed and it was hard for her to stay calm. “If he finds me he will take Michael away, and there is no way in hell that I’ll allow Dante anywhere near my child.”

“Maggie. It doesn’t have to be that way. He can’t just take your child away, especially if he’s been”—Raine’s voice softened—“abusive toward you or Michael.”

“You don’t understand.” Maggie’s words were bitter. “Dante’s family is powerful, well established. They have a lot of money. I have nothing to fight them with.”

“You’ll never belong to anyone else, bitch. When I get out of here, I’m going to make sure you understand just how much you belong to me. And don’t think of running. That didn’t work out so well for you last time.”

He leaned in close. She could feel the heat of his breath against her cheek, and her gut roiled, full of nausea.

“Because if you do, I will find you and I’ll make sure your son never sees you again. You’re nothing but trash, Maggie. Garbage that I rescued from the gutter. Remember that. What judge would award custody of that little snot-nosed bastard to someone like you? An uneducated, pathetic excuse for a woman?”

Dante’s words echoed in her mind, his voice crystal clear as if he stood beside the chair, whispering his threats into her ear.

“Maggie, are you all right? You’re as white as a ghost.”

She shook the darkness from her mind and focused on Raine. “No, I’m not all right. Nothing about this situation is right.” She shot up from the chair and threw the throw blanket behind her. “Dante is a monster. One who ruled my life for almost ten years, until I finally…” Her eyes filled with tears as the memories of that last night washed over her.

“What happened, Maggie?” Raine asked gently. “What made you leave?”

She bit her lip, let the anger inside build, and it filled her with power. “He went after my child, that’s what happened. I wasn’t enough to take the edge off anymore, and he went after Michael.” Angrily Maggie wiped moisture from her eyes. “I’m sickened at the pathetic, weak person that I was. I can’t believe that I let him tell me what to wear, where to go, what to make for dinner. He dictated every minute of my life.”

Maggie crossed to the window once more and looked into the darkness. “I know this is going to sound weird, but I guess in a way I should thank him.”

Raine set her cup down and crossed to where she stood. She threaded her arm through Maggie’s. The comfort, the soft touch, did wonders, and Maggie welcomed the bit of peace that came with it.

“Why would you want to thank him?” Raine asked quietly.

“I wasn’t a strong person back then, and as awful as it sounds, if he hadn’t taken a run at Michael—” Her voice broke, and she took a second. “If he hadn’t come after Michael, I might still be there.”

“Whatever reason you had for leaving doesn’t matter, Maggie. What does matter is that you did. You found the strength to take your son out of a bad situation, and you started all over in a town where you knew no one.” Raine’s arms enveloped Maggie into a hug. “That is not the description of a weak soul. That is a person with balls. Huge, freaking elephant balls.”

“Well, I’m going to need those balls.” Maggie replied.

“Maggie, stay. And if he shows up, fight him. You’ve come this far. If you leave, that just means he’s won. Why would you let him win?”

She opened her mouth to retort, but R

aine cut her off.

“I know you’re scared, but you have friends here. A lot of friends who will do anything for you. And then there’s Cain. I’m sure he’d love the chance to kick your ex’s ass.”

Maggie took a step back. Okay. Raine had lost her marbles. “I’ve known Cain for not more than a month. Why the hell would he want to get involved in my mess?” She snorted. “Because we’re sleeping together? That’s ridiculous.”

Raine smiled and shook her head. “Of course not.” Her grin widened. “It’s simple. He loves you.”

Maggie stared at Raine in shock, and when she finally found her voice, several seconds had ticked by. “You’re crazy. He’s never…we’ve never…” She moved away, her eyes drawn to the darkness outside.

We’ve never said those words. She’d never allowed herself to go there, to even consider the intensity of her feelings and what they meant.