Thank God, she’d screamed loud enough to wake the dead before he could smack his hand over her mouth. Niles had taken off out her window when people had come running. Not before assaulting her. He hadn’t raped her, but in the scheme of things, it didn’t matter.
No one had seen him. No one but Kinley. And the asshole was going to get away with it.
I almost wished I had been in my room when Niles broke in—not that I would ever admit that. Still, my grandfather had put me in martial arts as a way to keep me busy when I came to live with him. If Trey wasn’t a higher level than me when I’d been married to him, he never would have been able to hurt me the way he did. But Niles, he’d be no match for my skills.
He would not have gotten away Scot free. He’d fucking be in jail. But Kinley couldn’t fight him like I could. She packed up and left that night. I’d been with Mars and hadn’t even been able to say goodbye.
“What’s the breaking point going to be?” I whispered.
“What do you mean?”
“Your dad is the only one who can stop this. He lets your mom hit him and degrade him. She takes out her anger, physically, on the staff. And your uncle…” I shook my head. “What’s the breaking point going to be? When will your dad stand up and stop this? I get why the staff turnover is so high, and frankly, I’m shocked my grandpa didn’t stop me from getting a job at the mansion.”
“Nobody talks about things,” Mars said, gently rocking me. I wasn’t even sure he realized it. “My mom…she’s gotten worse lately. It used to only be me she took it out on—me and my dad. As far as I know, Niles has never attacked someone. Until now. Your grandpa probably didn’t know.”
“Are you sure?” I asked in a small voice. It hurt to think the person closest to me would have left me in this gothic tragedy.
“He used to patch me up, and he was like a father to the staff. He didn’t know you’d be in danger. I’m sure of it.” I heard him swallow. “I think…maybe Kinley’s right. You should move out. Maybe you can stay with Sadie or Ginger? I’ll pay for you to stay at the Woods’ hotel.”
The temptation was strong, so strong.
“I can’t leave everyone in a lurch, babe.”
“I thought you’d say that. Fine. Get ready to have a near constant shadow for the next week. No one’s touching you, or anyone else on my watch. My dad and I are gonna have a long talk too.”
“Okay.”
He grazed his fingers over my face. “Are you still going out with Sadie and Ginger tonight?”
“Yeah…girls night out. I’ve been neglecting them since this hot young guy came into my life.”
“Glad he did.”
“Yeah… me, too.” For all the ways I was scared at the Kennedy mansion, I couldn’t regret Mars. Not ever.