“That’s hilarious coming from you,” Willow stated. “Just go to sleep, you won’t even remember anything bad happened in the morning.”
Lauren flinched. That pissed Ashlynn off.
“Now listen here,” she began firmly. “We are sorry that you are hurting, but you would do well to remember who is responsible for that pain, because it sure as hell isn’t us.”
Somehow hearing that made the burning behind her eyes return, further pissing her off. Since she had nothing nice to say, she said nothing at all.
“You’re not leaving this house, Willow,” Ashlynn stated.
“I’m not staying here,” she stated, shaking her head.
“You’re not going to him,” Lauren blurted angrily, her voice rising. “My god, how could you—”
Ashlynn interrupted. “We’re just worried about you.”
“I’m fine.”
“Clearly you aren’t, honey. And that’s perfectly understandable—what happened to you—”
“Stop.” Just the lead-in was making her feel queasy. “I’ve dealt with everything that happened, I don?
??t want to talk about it with you, not now and maybe not ever. I just want you to forget whatever that asshole said to you. I’m sure most of it wasn’t even true.”
“You weren’t raped?” Lauren asked sharply, coming more unhinged by the second. Her eye twitched before she went on. “That piece of shit didn’t rape you at gunpoint?”
Her stomach pitched, mental images popping up and warring with the fierce protectiveness she felt over Ethan.
“You didn’t start—” Lauren’s voice broke halfway through as she tried to fight back a sob. “You didn’t start sleeping with him afterward? You didn’t sleep with your married rapist—?”
“Okay, Lauren, calm down,” Ashlynn said, squeezing Lauren’s shoulder. “You’re coming off as very judgey right now.”
Lauren’s eyes bulged. “Do you hear the words that are coming out of my mouth?”
“It is not her fault. He’s a grown man, for god’s sake. He took advantage of her when she was at her most vulnerable.”
“Oh my god, I’m standing right here,” Willow objected. “Ethan did not take advantage of me, not at all. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You can’t be in a relationship with your rapist, Willow!”
“You don’t—he is not my rapist. You don’t even know the situation—“
“I don’t need to know the situation! I have all the information I need. Did he rape you? If yes, then no relationship! Easy.”
Clenching her fists in frustration, Willow could only shake her head. She understood their reactions, but they weren’t seeing it through her eyes—nor could they. “You don’t get it. It doesn’t matter. It isn’t your decision to make.”
“I don’t even know what to say to you right now,” Lauren stated, shaking her head in disbelief. “What would possess you—?”
Ashlynn took a step toward Willow. “Honey, none of this is your fault, but you aren’t seeing things clearly. Did he protect you before it happened? Or…after?”
Giving Ashlynn her most withering glare, she said, “It has nothing to do with that, but yes, as a matter of fact; if not for him, probably every guy in the fucking house would have had a turn.”
It was a cruel mental image to fling at them, and while Lauren made a pitiful little noise, even the more formidable Ashlynn grimaced.
Between sobs, Lauren said, “That’s no excuse. You can’t be the kind of girl who—”
Spinning around, Ashlynn said, “Please let me talk to her alone for a few minutes. Please. You’re too emotional, you need to…you need to take a moment and collect yourself before you say something you can never take back.”
“This is our fault,” Lauren cried, ignoring Ashlynn. “We never should’ve had him over for that dinner. We invited a predator into our home.”