Mr. Wick’s smile is fake. “That’s just it though. Was any of this her decision? Or did you decide she was yours?”
My heart thumps hard in my chest. What does he know? And how does he know?
“Which one got to you?” My mom’s voice is soft, but her gaze is steady. “Whose father thought you needed to speak as someone I might know and trust?”
Everyone’s attention goes to my mom.
“I’m not stupid, David.”
“I never thought you were?—”
“We both know their parents are powerful and you wouldn’t cross them without permission.”
I suck in a breath. “What?”
Neither Mom nor Mr. Wick look at me. “Or was it all of them? Could you imagine their horror in finding out their boys actually care about a girl like Harper? Someone they know they can’t control? I don’t believe for one minute you’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart, because we both know that hearts only last so long in this town.”
My mom swallows, but she lifts her glass and takes a sip. “So, who got to you?”
CHAPTER 49
The Confession
Harper
Mr. Wick rubs his hand over the back of his neck. “Fuck it. I wanted to come forward at the beginning of the year. I tried to help Harper where I could because I didn’t want her to get hurt.”
His gaze locks on Mom. “You remember how their fathers were. These boys don’t fall far from them.”
Mom crosses her legs and sets her glass down on the coffee table. “You don’t think I know what their fathers are capable of?”
He stiffens and looks down at his hands. “I didn’t mean?—”
“You never stood up to them.” Mom stands and paces behind the guys. “No one would. That’s how this town is. I know what they did. I can’t prove it, but I know it in my fucking heart. So, don’t you come marching into my house and start accusing my daughter or any of these boys because you don’t know them.”
Mr. Wick stands. His face is red, but it’s not anger. “Jenn?—”
“Just leave, David.” Mom shakes her head. “We both know you’re part of the machine. I appreciate you tried in whatever small way you could to help Harper, but we all knew it would come to this.”
He reaches into his pocket and sets something on the coffee table. “They wanted a bug in your house. I was supposed to activate it when I got here, but I didn’t.”
Jack leans forward and snatches it off the table, examining it.
Mr. Wick presses his glasses up his nose and looks at my mother. “I am sorry about Sean, Jenn.”
Mom doesn’t move as he nods and walks out of the house. When the door shuts behind him, she turns to Jack. “It’s not active?”
Jack shakes his head. “No, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t planted others.”
She picks up her glass and walks over to the island to pour herself more rum.
“How did you know?” Eli asks gently.
She gives a broken laugh and lifts her glass to her lips. “You don’t have to grow up here to know shit isn’t right.”
After downing her drink, she takes a deep breath and sets her glass on the counter. “Fuck.”
None of us have moved. I don’t know if everyone else is as stunned as I am or if they’re just waiting.
