Warnings and Wildfires

“They forbid him from seeing me. They wanted it to stay a secret, so they didn’t go to the school or police. But he came unglued.” She meets my eyes. “He vandalized our house. That’s how I knew it was him this morning. That’s the same message he left on their front porch.”

“Christ.”

She hugs herself, rubbing her hands over her arms and stares down at the floor, her voice flat. “The situation exploded. My parents filed a complaint with the police. The school got dragged into it. This salacious story was everywhere. The news devoured it and labeled it a ‘sex scandal.’ A forbidden student-teacher romance.”

I cough, uncomfortably familiar with how lies and half-truths can destroy a life.

“His ‘we’re in love’ speech didn’t go over well with the police. They arrested him.”

“About fucking time,” I grumble.

“It just made everything worse. This was a small town. Once his name hit the news, students put it together. How he always doted on me and showed me favoritism. My name spread like wildfire.”

“You were a kid, papers couldn’t print that.” Conviction hardens my voice.

She snorts. “They didn’t have to. I went to private school. My father had a pretty successful financial planning firm. Lots of my classmates’ parents were clients of my dad’s firm. He started losing those people first. Then when the news crews showed up, he lost even more business.”

“Too fucking bad.”

She shakes her head. “He blamed me. They had to sell our vacation house in Connecticut and I think my mother was more upset about that than what was happening to me.”

Some people don’t deserve to be parents.

“I had to sit through endless, humiliating interrogations. In the end, my statements made it worse for him.” She straightens her spine. “After a few months, my parents stopped cooperating with the DA. They pulled me out of school and had me committed to a psychiatric facility.”

Of all the shocking things she’s revealed, this hits me the hardest. I all but explode out of my seat. “He’s the one who needed to be committed.”

“It swept all my parents’ problems away. I couldn’t be compelled to testify and embarrass them further. The DA plead the case down. The news coverage dried up.”

Every fucking adult in her life failed her. “So everyone walked away unscathed but you?”

She shrugs, but her eyes shine with unshed tears. “I brought it on myself.”

“Aubrey. That’s not true.” I touch one finger under her chin, tipping her head back to see her face. “You were, what, three years older than Madison is now?” I swallow over the rage burning in the back of my throat. “Believe me, if some twenty-something asshole went after her that way, I’d kill him. Your parents should’ve protected you. Not blamed you.”

She nods, but I don’t think my words hit home for her. “Celia filed for guardianship to get me out. But she was too young, and they denied her.” A brief smile flickers over her lips. “At least I knew someone cared about me.”

“She’s a good sister.”

She half-smiles. “Celia visited me as much as she could. Eventually, I started paying attention in the group therapy sessions. So many stories were similar to mine. The grooming behavior. The manipulation…the controlling and terrorizing. Needing to know where I was and who I was with every second of the day. The subtle put-downs that made me think no one would ever love me but him. So many behaviors I excused because they seemed romantic and meant he loved me. It was…devastating. To think I’d been so naïve.”

I’m exhausted after dredging up so much emotional garbage.

After expelling a long breath, I wrap up my story. “When I turned eighteen, the hospital had to let me go. My parents were done with me. My father had salvaged his business, but they’d shelled out a fortune. They told me in no uncertain terms I was on my own from then on. I wasn’t allowed to move back in.”

“Are you kidding me?” Sully asks.

“Celia took me in. She’d already cut ties with my parents years before.” I snort and shake my head. “And I always thought she was their favorite.”

“It doesn’t sound like they were meant to be parents.”

“No kidding. Celia and I say that all the time.” My lips twitch into a weak smile. “That’s why we both like your mom so much.”

He squeezes me tighter. “Go on.”

“I didn’t know what to do with myself.” A violent shiver works over me. “The thought of being a teacher after all that made me ill.”

“That’s why you picked accounting? Something completely different from poetry?” Sully asks with gentleness and understanding.

I never thought of it in those terms. “I guess so.”

His unwavering stare doesn’t stray from my face. “For the record, you’d be a great teacher. You’re exactly the kind of person kids need, but I understand why it would bother you.”

“I never imagined he’d be released so soon.” Bitter regret singes my voice. “And I never, ever thought he’d come looking for me right away.”

“He’s a sick bastard.”

I close my eyes and try to block the rising burn in my throat. “I should’ve warned you. He’d always get jealous when I talked to boys in class. He’d grill me for hours after school if he thought a guy even smiled at me. As soon as he came into Busy Beans the other night, I should’ve warned you.”

Sully doesn’t accept that. As my pulse races and my throat seals shut, he pulls me against his chest.

“I don’t blame you, Aubrey. It had to be a shock. To see him after all that time and with an adult’s perspective. And you said he used to grill you. He didn’t confront those boys?”

“Well, he failed at least two that I know of.”

“Wow, a coward and an asshole.”

Heavy, unrelenting regret and shame spreads over my skin. “Sully, I was going to tell you. I just hadn’t figured out how. I wanted to tell you this morning after you shared so much with me.” I finally meet his eyes again. “It’s not an excuse, but Maddy called, and you seemed so happy talking to her, I didn’t want to ruin the moment. And we were running late…I’m not making excuses…I had no idea he’d—”

“Hey, stop,” he murmurs, putting a halt to my crazy rambling.

I rest my head against his chest, accepting the comfort he’s offering.

“Aubrey,” he says after a few minutes of silence. “Have you…did you date anyone after him?”

“A few times.” I sigh and shake my head. “One relationship turned serious.” Swallowing over the lump in my throat is almost impossible. “But when I told him, he acted like everyone else. That I’d been the slutty temptress who ruined some poor guy’s life.”

“Is that why you were afraid to tell me?”

I risk glancing up and find the full weight of his gaze on me. “Maybe a little.” My hands flap uselessly in the air while I try to come up with the right words. “Not that I think you’re like that, but—”

He takes both my hands in his. “I understand.”

“I believe you.” I hesitate, unsure of where to go from here. “What do we do now?”

“I’m not letting you out of my sight until he’s back behind bars.”

My pulse quickens at his stern voice, but the love in his eyes assures me he only wants to protect me.

For the last few years, I’ve wandered aimlessly through life, feeling like a stranger inside my own skin. Lost and angry with my parents and Darren, but mostly angry at my own actions.

These last few months, Sully’s shown me who I can be. Who I want to be. As if he’s handed me the keys to the door leading me back to myself.

“Thank you for listening and not running away.”

He pushes my hair out of my eyes. “I love you.”

Those are the words I need the most. To know that after hearing what I allowed to happen, he doesn’t hate me.

Tears threaten to fall, but I will them away. “I love y

ou too. Real, solid, glowing love, Sully. Where I’m weak, you’ve given me strength.”

He touches his forehead to mine and speaks low heartfelt words. “You fit the missing piece in my life. You inspire me and make me believe anything is possible, Aubrey. I am never walking away from you.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Dearest Aubrey,

I have to admit, I’m hurt and disappointed. I thought the letter your sister delivered to the parole board was something your family concocted to keep us apart again. After speaking with you, it’s clear you’ve been brainwashed. While I held onto our love during some of my darkest moments, you apparently moved on with your life. I guess now it’s time for me to do the same.

I’ve requested and been granted permission to move out of the area. You won’t have to fear seeing me again.

You used to be such a kind, beautiful soul and even though you’ve turned on me, as much as I want to hate you, I can’t.

I hope that new man of yours never hurts you the way you’ve wounded me.

Always,

D.

If I roll my eyes any harder, they’re going to fall out of my head.

“For fuck’s sake,” Sully growls, snapping the letter out of my hands.

We stopped by to pick up more of my things to bring to his house. Celia handed me the letter as soon as I walked in the door.

While Sully reads the letter—muttering curses under his breath the entire time—I flip over the envelope and study the postmark. “It was mailed in Poughkeepsie on Monday.”

“Setting up his alibi probably,” Celia mutters.

“Hopefully that’s where he moved. It’s at least two hours away.”

“Not far enough,” Celia and Sully both grumble at the same time.

I shrug and take the letter from Sully, slipping it back into the envelope. I’ll drop it off at the Sheriff’s department later. Maybe the letter will help track Darren down. His parole officer claims Darren checked in on time. But no one’s questioned him about vandalizing Sully’s gym yet.

“He’s a bigger dipshit than I thought if he thinks that letter will make us believe he didn’t trash Sully’s place.” Celia crosses her arms over her chest and shakes her head. “I wish he had delivered it in person so I could’ve kicked him in the balls.”

Sully chuckles and pats her shoulder. “Thanks.”