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CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
KYLER
FIVE WEEKS LATER
“How areyou feeling about the trial next week, Ky?” Hannah asked as she picked at the tomato-sauce-covered cardboard that the school tried to pass off as pizza.
It was kind of wild how easily Hannah had managed to fit in with my small group of friends. She’d quickly proven herself to us, and when we started getting to know each other, it turned out that she and I had a lot more in common than I’d ever thought we would, including a love for film and video studies. In fact, she was even helping me with my documentary project, including being willing to be interviewed aboutherexperiences with Max and Tucker.
“I’m nervous,” I admitted with a sigh. “I wish the judge would let me give my testimony remotely so I don’t have to be in the same room with them. I know I’ve been in the same school with them since it happened, but this is different.”
Ian pulled me into his side. “They won’t be able to touch you or even say a single word to you, baby. If they try, they’ll be found in contempt and removed from the courtroom.”
“And you have the truth on your side,” Braden added. “Just keep calm and answer the lawyers’ questions honestly. They’re going to try to undermine your testimony by getting you worked up, so just don’t let them.”
“Plus, you’ve been prepped not just by the lawyer trying the case, but also by Ian’s dad,” Melissa chimed in. “And they’ll have my testimony too.”
“I still don’t get why you’re allowed to say what I told you,” I murmured. “Isn’t that hearsay?”
“Nope. She’s the first person you told,” Ian said. “That makes her an outcry witness.”
“You sure you don’t want to major in pre-law?” I chuckled. “You’d make a great prosecutor.”
He snorted and kissed my temple. “Nope. I don’t know if I’d have time, anyway. Not with football taking up so much of my time.”
Ian and Braden had both signed letters of intent with the University of Kansas, and as long as they kept their grades up, they had full ride scholarships for football. Hannah had been offered a cheerleading scholarship there too, which she’d accepted. I’d sent in my application last week, but I was pretty much positive that I’d be accepted on an academic scholarship since I had a perfect GPA and had scored a 2100 on my SAT.
I wished more than anything that Melissa could come with us, but I understood why she couldn’t. Really, I wasn’t sure that getting accepted into a school in Omaha would be enough to get Eric out of her life, but it was better than nothing. Hopefully he’d decide it wasn’t worth the trouble to follow her two states away.
“Because a psych major is going to take up so much less time?” Hannah teased.
“If I don’t end up playing professionally, I want to be able to do something good,” he countered.
I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. “As long as you don’t expect me to do your homework while you’re at practice.”
“Absolutely not. You’ll be too busy making movies anyway,” he chuckled.
* * *
“Text me when you get to Christine’s office,” Ian told me as we walked out into the student parking lot after school let out.
For the first few weeks after finding the note on my car at my first therapy appointment, Ian had insisted on coming with meeverywhereI went. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand why, but I hadn’t gotten any more notes or threats since then, and I’d started to feel like he was smothering me. When I’d told him how I felt, he’d grudgingly agreed to let me go to my therapy appointments by myself as long as I texted him when I got there and when I left so he knew I was safe.
“I will,” I promised, standing on my toes for a kiss. “I love you.”
He gave me half a smile. “Te quiero, bebé.”
I stole one more kiss for the road, then headed toward my car, while he walked in the opposite direction to his truck.
As I was putting my backpack and gym bag in the backseat of my car, a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind. One of them went across my chest, pinning my arms to my sides, while the other went across my waist so I couldn’t try to squirm or turn around. I attempted to kick my legs, but I was too close to the car for it to do any good.
“All you had to do was keep your fucking mouth shut, Ky,” the voice that had haunted so many nightmares whispered in my ear.
“Max,” I choked out. “You’re supposed to be in jail.”
“I made bail,” he chuckled darkly. “But I shouldn’t have ever been there in the first place. Becauseyouweren’t supposed to talk. But you did. And I told you what would happen if you talked. So this? What I’m about to do? It’sallon you.”
“You really think hurting me is going to keep you out of jail?” I squeaked. “It’ll only make things worse.”
