Page 34 of Betrayed

AJ drew her phone from her bag and read something. She fumbled the device, nearly dropping it, then darted her gaze from side to side.

What was wrong?

Her eyes caught his. The panic was more intense than her behavior seemed. It was as if her eyes screamed at him to help.

This was his AJ. Why wouldn’t he help her?

He took two slow steps toward her. She came to him.

“What’s wrong?” It came out flatter than he wanted.

Her jaw quivered as she stared at him. Was she trying to decide if she could trust him with what had her scared?

“Where are Zara and Will?”

“Inside talking to the pastor.”

He took a deep breath and intentionally softened his demeanor. “What has Miss I’m-scared-of-nothing rattled?”

She smiled at the tease. He’d given her a hard time about having zero fear when they were young. “I keep getting these texts. I block the number, but then I get a new one.” She opened her phone and turned it to him.

A single text message.

You went to a different service this morning. But I waited to see you. Gorgeous as always. Wish you’d come hangout with me instead of going to that place. Next time.

If the phone was in his hand he might have thrown it on the ground. “Why would you show me this?” His arm twitched as he balled his fist.

“Because it’s not what you’re thinking. I’m scared, Logan.”

“Trying to rip open old wounds? Salt or lemon juice?”

She sucked in a shaky breath. “It’s not like that.” The fear in her eyes increased. She was afraid of him now too. He didn’t want that—but maybe he did.

“It feels like that.” He barely opened his mouth to shoot those arrow-like words at her.

She shoved her phone back in her bag. Tears pooled in her eyes.

He was being a jerk again. Why did he do this? The terror that shook her body was real, like it had been at the grocery store. He needed to stop playing the donkey.

“Will you hang up the past for a second? I need help. Someone is watching me, and it’s freaking me out. Forget it, I should just tell Zara and Will.” She spun away from him.

“AJ.”

Slowly she turned back.

“What can I do?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know.”

“How many creepy texts have you received?”

“I think this makes four. But I blocked the numbers. And I deleted them—I didn’t want you to see them and get the wrong idea.”

Yet that’s what he did when she showed him willingly. The words I’m sorry would probably be appropriate, but he couldn’t get his voice to speak them.

Her phone dinged. She retrieved it and handed it to Logan. Another text came through from the same number.

I didn’t mean to scare you. Come to me, not him.