Not sure what Landon Fletcher is to me at this point.
But maybe it’s time I change my perspective.
Chapter 16
Ainsley
Fall of Junior Year
“Where’s Landon?”
My leg bounces as I glance down at my phone. No new messages, and my last call went straight to voicemail.
The last time he was late meeting me somewhere, he showed up with a black eye.
The time before that, finger-shaped bruises around his neck.
Landon is the most punctual person I’ve ever met, so if he’s not where he says he’ll be, his father got to him.
I glance at Evan and Ivori, sitting on the bleachers to the left of me. They’ve figured it out, though I haven’t told Landon that they know.
“This is ridiculous. How does this man get away with abusing his family?”
Evan’s jaw pops. “I wish he’d hit him back. Landon’s six-feet tall and a-buck-sixty. He could easily lay him out on his ass.”
“But that’d make more trouble for him and his mother,” Ivori says.
“We can’t just sit by and let this happen.” My eyes bounce between them both. “Let’s go to his house.”
“It’s not our family. We can’t get involved.” Evan gives me a hard stare. “Just be there for him after.”
I shake my head. “That’s not good enough. Please, Ev. Take me there.”
His large hand covers my knee. “It’s not safe for you. If the guy hits his own wife and son, what makes you think he won’t hit you?”
My teeth gnash together. “I fucking dare him to.”
Our football team makes another touchdown, and everyone in the stands jumps to their feet while the band plays on the sidelines.
In midst of the chaos of the celebration, I dart out of my row and bolt for the stairs. Evan shouts my name, but I ignore him. He can try to stop me, but he won’t succeed. I’m fucking going.
Ivori’s voice pierces through the air once my sneakers hit the gravel in the parking lot. “Ainsley, wait.”
“Don’t bother. I’m going.”
“What are you going to do, run the whole way there?”
My feet skid to a stop as I whip around, seeing Evan towering behind her. “You’ll take me?”
He heaves a long sigh. “I don’t agree with this plan, for the record, but yeah, I’ll take you.”
My shoulders slump, and I dart between the cars to his old Bronco. Perks of having an older friend with his license.
We click our seatbelts into place, and within ten minutes, we’re rolling up to Landon’s house.
“I’m going to wait out here. If you’re not back in five minutes, I’m calling the cops.”
I nod. “Five minutes.”
