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I nodded, shifting my backpack as I started down the hall toward the front of the school. I heard whispering behind me, but since my hearing was nowhere as good as theirs apparently was, I couldn’t make out a word. By the time I hit the front doors, they were way behind me, walking slowly, and since I didn’t want to deprive Anna of Caleb’s company, I just kept going to the teacher’s lot and Dominic’s Jeep.
He was leaning against the door, the chilly air seeming to have no effect on him as he stood waiting patiently for us. I tugged my sleeves further down over my hands, trying to hide some of the red blotchiness and wishing I hadn’t stuffed my jacket in my backpack.
Dominic straightened when he spotted me, his eyes narrowing as he took in the fact that I was alone. “They’re coming,” I called out, raising my voice slightly to compensate for the distance, but it was unnecessary. He nodded and opened the Jeep door as I came closer. He sniffed the air as the wind blew my hair around my face and toward him.
“Spilled bleach, huh?” His gaze softened as he studied me, no doubt wondering what actually happened, and I reveled in the momentary concern he had. I nodded and his face sharpened as he thought I continued to lie.
“More like spilled on me,” I told him, adding, “Intentionally.” I stopped a few feet from him, not wanting to get to close without some other distraction around. He tilted his head, urging me to continue without words. “I have a feeling you know her,” I continued and his expression went blank. “This tall,” I lifted my hand a several inches above my own head since she had to have been 5’11 at least. “She has your cheekbones and her little boy has your eyes.” Dominic rocked back like I’d thrown a punch at him, not that I could even budge him if I had. “Honestly, I thought the kid was yours for a second, but then I realized the woman looked familiar…she looked like you.”
“Sam,” he whispered, the sound a little broken. “A boy? With my eyes?” He clarified and I nodded. A second later, he was kicking the tires and cursing. “Goddamn Hanleys, I should have fucking run that mangy mutt over.”
I didn’t follow everything he muttered and I tried to ignore why he felt running over the wolf this morning would somehow hurt the Hanleys. Their secrets were right there for the taking, but still, I tried to protect myself.
“She protected me,” I said, interrupting his little conniption fit. He paused, staring at me to go on. “She told me I wasn’t safe, shoved me in a corner, and doused me with bleach.” I rubbed my fingers over one of the marks on my wrist and his eyes followed the movement. “She was trying not to scare me.” Dominic nodded like he would expect nothing less, and stepped closer to me. I felt myself sway toward him, like a magnet attracted to its other half. “I told her I knew you and she looked, well, she looked shocked to be honest.” Dominic’s lip curled up, involuntarily amused by my words. His hand captured mine as my fingers curled into my palm in an effort not to scratch. He pushed my sleeve up and I heard his breath hiss as he took in the angry red blisters the straight bleach had left on my skin. My skin was sensitive to start with and the bleach had stayed long enough to leave a mark. His fingers brushed gently over the marks and he brought my hand toward his mouth like he was going to kiss the wounds. He paused though when I spoke, my voice shaky as I tried to distract myself from the thought of what it would feel like to have his lips on my skin once again.
“She said you were right,” I blurted out and he froze. “And that you could do worse.” He released me like my skin had somehow burned him, almost throwing me away as he spun around, leaving his back exposed to me.
“Ignore her,” he muttered, pacing away from me. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” He paused and glanced back at me. “Except for the fact that you’re not safe here. She was right about that.” His eyes strayed behind me and he sighed, “Finally,” and I knew without turning that Caleb and Anna were headed our way.
“Where were you that you even saw her? That you were in danger?” His glare was meant to be intimidating and I barely refrained from stepping back as he stalked toward me, anger emanating from him.
“The store,” I whispered faintly. “The store. We needed groceries. I was with my dad,” I spoke louder, trying to force myself not to shrink before him.
