I swallow back the bile. I’ve seen Luke’s scars. How he didn’t even know how to hug me properly. I hate that his monster ofa father had control of him all these years. “We found an email from William to you. It was for you two to meet.”
Mom’s eyes widen and she grows pale.
“He mentions Luke and me and that you should bring me.” I need to know. She’s the only one who will ever tell me.
“You both were so young. Not even really old enough to remember.” Her eyes glaze over. “I brought you because I had no choice and I didn’t want to watch him hurt his son in front of me. I figured you two would play. That boy deserved someone soft like you.”
She shakes her head and smiles. “Luke and you were immediately drawn to each other. I think it was mostly seeing a kid your own age.”
My heart speeds up. I can’t remember it, but I’ve felt that connection with Luke. Maybe it was forged that day or maybe it’s always been there.
Her smile fades. “William let me know while he didn’t usually deal in children, he wasn’t against it. I mightconsiderhow I might help.” Her hands clench into fists. “He promised me if I didn’t rock the boat, I could get the women who were in bad shape out. If I tried anything more than what he allowed me, he would make sure I never saw you again.”
I suck in my breath and cover my mouth with my hand. I could see doing what my mom did. To protect me. To help where she could.
“I never told Sean. I couldn’t. He would have gone after William. He was fiercely protective of you and me.” She swipes at a tear. “Over a few years, I got to help a dozen women to safety. My family was protected. I never had to deal directly with William again. Things were going well, but Sean was sinking deeper into the mystery of this town.”
I hold my breath, knowing the worst is yet to come.
“He found something major. A meeting that he wanted to go to. He figured if he went and recorded it, it would fix everything. He’d have his proof and could go outside of this town to find help. I told him to forget it. It was too dangerous. It wasn’t worth it.” Mom looks up at the ceiling. “He couldn’t. He knew how this town worked. The police are in the pocket of the wealthy. I told him we could just run. Leave the town behind, but some part of him wanted to defeat the horsemen. To make this place just. And to stay in the town that was his heritage.
“I also knew what I was doing was important. Getting some of those women home to their families after being traumatized, even if it was just a few. But I would have left it all behind to have him.”
“What did he know? Was it the drugs or the trafficking?”
Mom shakes her head. Tears flow freely down her face. “I don’t know which. All I know is his laptop was smashed, and he disappeared one night and never came home. I was sent a message that if I wanted to continue my work at the hospital, I wouldn’t report my husband missing and wouldn’t look for him.”
I wipe at my eyes. Part of me wishes I had my dad all these years. How different would my life have been?
“So this is it.” She pushes the bag with her foot toward me. “I brought your school bag to put it in. Wherever you guys are going tonight, figure out what’s on that. It’s all I have left of him.”
I look at the bag that’s worn with age. My eyes meet hers. “I will.”
I stand and walk over to help her up. This time, I take her into my arms. “I’m sure you did what you could, Mom.”
She holds me tight. “Don’t let this town swallow you whole, Harper. No matter what. You and those boys get out of here, find a life outside of this town.”
“If we do, you need to come with us.” I whisper into her shoulder. Because I may be more like both my parents, I want to burn it down, but get out alive.
CHAPTER 53
The Advantage
Jack
“Again. Again.” Lucy holds her arms up and jumps up and down.
“Last time.” I give her myI’m-seriousface.
She mimics my face. “Okay.”
She’ll just ask me again, but I pick her up under her arms and toss her in the air slightly before almost dropping her on purpose and catching her at the last moment. She giggles the entire time, and it helps with everything that’s going on.
When I set her down, she reaches up and wiggles her fingers.
“What?” I smirk.
“I want to give you a kiss.”
