“I—”
“And I know now I can’t do that with things the way they are.” His eyes flash as he runs his other palm over his face. “I never thought I’d say this.” Shaking his head, he leans forward. “Marry me.”
“What?” My head reels back, my eyes widening.
“Mom told me what your dad was going to do: marry you to Jonah. And I know they’re not gonna stop. At least not unless you’re already married and inside the safest compound in the state.”
“I… I don’t understand.” Frowning, I remove my hand from his. “This is crazy.”
“I know, darlin’, but all that matters is you not getting hurt anymore.”
“But… Marriage?”
He shrugs but I can tell there’s more behind his action than he’s showing. “I know you’re meant to love the person you get married to, to know them inside out, but I…” He pauses. “I think I could get there with you.”
“You could ‘get there’?” I repeat, not believing what he’s saying. “You really think that’s gonna work? ‘Marry me so you won’t get hurt anymore and maybe I can start to like you’?”
“No, that’s not… Fuck!” He slams his hand down on the steering wheel. “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m trying to… dammit!” He focuses his attention on me. “I like you. I’ve liked you far longer than I should have. I care for you. I may not love you yet, but I know I can.” His hand grasps mine again and my face falls as I realize what he’s saying. “I want to marry you to keep you safe, and I know it’s not the best way to start out, but it’s… it’ll be our way.”
I stare at him, wondering where I would be right now without him. However much I like to tell him I don’t need him to save me, I did—I do. I need him more than I’ve ever needed anyone else and the fact I’m nearly eighteen and he’s twenty-eight doesn’t mean a thing, because he’s right. I could love him too. No one else would understand me the way he does.
“Yes,” I whisper, not believing I said that but knowing it’s the right thing—no, that’s wrong. It’s the only way I see my life; with him by my side.
“Yeah?” he asks, his eyes wide and a smile lifting the corner of his mouth.
I nod, repeating my answer again.
Moving toward me, he places a soft kiss on my lips, staring at me for several seconds before shaking his head and turning to face the front of the car.
“We have a five-hour drive ahead of us. You should get some sleep.”
“What? Where are we going?”
“Ohio.”
LUKE
Turning the engine off, I push out of the SUV, stretching my back after driving for five hours without any stops. The sun shines bright in the sky, promising a nice day, but when I look back at Lily, I wonder if a day will ever look bright to her again.
Her face is against the glass of the passenger window, looking a strange mixture of peace and pain. The purple bruising around her eye and along her jaw have me gritting my teeth, and the dried blood on her arms tells me there’s things I can’t see right now. She looks like she went ten rounds with Mike Tyson.
My gaze flows down to her legs and follows the path of dried blood.
The day you get married is meant to be the happiest of your life. A day where memories aren’t just made but also captured on camera. A day full of family celebrating the love you share.
We won’t have any of that tomorrow. All we’ll have is a piece of paper we both sign, but that doesn’t mean she can get married in the state she’s in. Not that I care what she looks like—she could be wearing a paper bag for all I care—but one look at her and me together tells people something that isn’t true.
Running my hand through my hair and down my face before looking at the time, I run through my plan in my head.
The courthouse opens in an hour and I need to go and make an appointment for tomorrow.
I need to check all of Lily’s injuries and make sure she’s physically okay before doing anything else.
That’s more important than anything.
Closing the door before walking around to Lily’s side of the car, I remember coming out of her house where I managed to walk right past her dad and Jonah without them even knowing, and running back to the SUV, seeing Jonah looming over Lily.
When I saw him the night we went bowling, I thought he wasn’t a danger. How wrong was I?