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Pierce’s nostrils flared. “That fucking fucktard. How could he do that to you? I wanna kill him.”
“So do I,” I couldn’t help agreeing. “Or at least put him behind bars.”
He tucked a strand of my hair behind my right ear. “The press might find out…”
“Oh, God. I hadn’t thought of that.” Nausea squeezed in my stomach.
“Are you sure you still wanna marry me, love?” His voice wobbled and I discerned the desperation in his eyes.
“Nothing could make me change my mind. I love you far too much.” I kissed his cupid lips. “When we get home, I’m gonna contact my aunt. I’d like to talk to her before I decide what to do next.”
Without warning, I started to sob. I sobbed for the little girl who’d lost her innocence, and I sobbed for the man I loved whose teen years had been ruined. He held me, whispering. “Cry, sweetheart. Cry out your pain. Let the tears flow and you’ll feel a lot better afterward.”
He rocked me, soothed me, and kissed away my misery. With hiccoughing breaths, I managed to stop crying. He fetched a washcloth from the adjacent shower room and pressed it to my cheeks. Then he rocked me again as I fell into an uneasy sleep, my last thoughts before dropping off were of the baby I hoped we’d conceived. I would protect our kid, I swore to myself, never let anyone bad get near her. After what had happened to Pierce and me, I would do everything in my power to keep my baby safe.Chapter 28PierceWe left for Portland, Oregon, two days after we’d gotten home from the tour. Joe and I shared the driving from LA, on account of the fact that what had gone down in the Philippines had hit the headlines, and we didn’t want to risk taking a commercial plane ride with all that it might entail. It took us over fifteen hours, after leaving at five a.m., but Joe and I managed to get some shuteye when we weren’t driving, and Hayley kept us going with drinks and snacks. She’d phoned her Aunt Lisa as soon as we’d arrived back in LA, saying she wanted to talk, and Lisa had accepted her request with apparent equanimity.
I followed the Sat Nav directions to a house in a tree-lined street in the suburbs, with a white picket fence enclosing a front porch. “You okay, sweetheart?” I asked Hayley, taking her hand as we stepped out of the SUV.
Her fingers trembled, but her face wore a determined expression. “I’m fine.”
We left Joe in the car to take a nap, then made our way up a path to the door. “Remember your uncle will never hurt you again. I won’t fucking let him.”
I rang the doorbell and, within seconds, it was answered by a plump woman with graying blond hair. She hugged Hayley and shook my hand. “Please, come in. Hope you had a good journey.”
“It wasn’t too bad.” I pressed my lips together. I didn’t need to introduce myself…we’d met at Rick’s funeral.
Lisa led us into her living room, comfortably decorated with floral wallpaper, and indicated we should sit on the sofa. “Can I offer you anything? A soda maybe?”
“Thanks, Auntie. Maybe later. How about you, Pierce?”
“Later would be fine for me too,” I responded. “Thank you.”
Lisa perched on the armchair opposite. “Congratulations on your engagement.” Her mouth moved into a tentative smile. “Your dad would have been thrilled, Hayley.”
“Yeah,” she breathed. “I think so…”
“I was shocked to read about what went down in the Philippines.” Lisa leaned forward and gave Hayley a searching look. “You must have been terrified.”
“I was.” Hayley inhaled and then exhaled slowly. “I’m not sure how to bring this up, so I’ll come right out with it.” She twisted her fingers together and said softly. “The trauma made me remember what happened to me with Uncle Earl when I was a kid.”
Lisa got up from the armchair and stood in front of Hayley, reaching for her hands. “Oh, sweetie. I always knew you’d remember one day. You were catatonic at first, and then acted like nothing had happened.” She pulled Hayley to her feet and kissed her. “I’m so terribly sorry for what Earl did to you.”
“I’d like to find him.” There was resolve in Hayley’s tone. “He should have gone to jail.” A lone tear trickled down her cheek.
I stood and put my arm around her. “Do you know where he is?” I questioned Lisa.
“Earl is dead.” Her hands fell to her sides. “He took his life the day after he admitted to me that he’d tried to rape you, Hayley.”
Hayley’s face had turned pale and she choked on a sob. “I wanted him to pay for what he’d done to me.”
“I felt the same when I found him hanging from the garage door.” Lisa sucked in a gulp of air. “He was violent toward me, and I wish I’d taken the boys and left him before he did what he did to you.”
