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“Do you remember when I told you…” She blows out a shaky breath. “When I told you about the night Dylan r-r-raped me?”
That word is so, so ugly. But I nod.
She sniffs, her hands twisting in her lap. “I told you someone saw what he was doing to me and didn’t stop it.”
I feel bile rising. I think I’m going to be sick.
She gulps in a mouthful of air. “Well, that someone was…Juliet.”
No, please, no. This can’t be. But as I watch the tears rolling down her cheeks, I know that it’s true. This god-awful nightmare is true. I reallywasfucking the devil.
“I think she knew all along. But that night, it confirmed that she indeed knew everything, yet she didn’t help me. The next day, she acted like she didn’t see a thing. I was dying inside, and she didn’t care. She was the only person I could talk to about this. Then, in return, she gets engaged to my brother. How messed up is that?” She laughs bitterly, the tears continuing to fall.
I’m shaking. My entire body is trembling in anger.
I. Am. Going. To. Kill. Her.
My brain is convulsing, unable to digest what she’s just shared. As I pull it together, however, I realize this entire time, Juliet hated Madison because, in her sick, twisted mind, she saw Dylan’s act of violence as an act oflove. As a sign that he loved and cared for Madison more than he loved her. That narcissistic, psychotic…cunt.
“Say something, please,” she begs when I remain mute.
Her desperation pulls me out from a very dark place. “You are…the strongest, bravest person I know.”
“I don’t feel brave.” She sniffs, wiping her nose with a napkin.
“Well, you are. To survive this, you are a remarkable human being. You are the reason I go on.”
More tears sting her eyes, but I’m happy to see they’re of the happy kind. “So now you know it all. Now you know why I can’t tell my mom because not only will it kill her, it’ll also kill Sebastian. I tell anyone this secret, it’ll destroy my entire family. And I can’t live with that. This pain…” She presses her fist to her heart. “I can live with it. I have for over ten years. But I can’t break my mother andfather’s hearts. Better I suffer than them.”
I can’t stop myself. I need to touch her, to hold her, to tell her how much I…love her?DoI love her? Right now, at this moment, I know that I do. I think I always have. I’ve just been too blinded to see it. I round the counter and enfold her in my arms. She cries softly, but they seem to be tears of relief. She’s finally been able to share her secrets with someone, and in return, I fucking lie to her.
I hold her, allowing her to grieve for a lost childhood. For the Madison Roberts she might have been.
After a few moments, her sobbing ceases, and she pulls away, embarrassed. “Sorry. I just…I haven’t told anyone that. Not even my shrink.”
“Thank you for trusting me.” I kiss the top of her head, hoping to disguise the fury bubbling inside me. “What are you up to today? Have you got class?”
“No. Not today. I was going to study. Internships are coming up, and I want to get into a good hospital.”
“I can always refer you. I know people,” I tease, wiping away her tears with my thumb.
“Thank you, but I want to do this on my own.” I nod in complete understanding. “Besides, all the hospitals are good. Even the ones in Colorado.”
I pull back, horrified. “You’re not considering going there, are you?” I feel a lump form in my throat.
“I was,” she confesses. “But not anymore.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “I’ve got to get ready for work, but do you want to study here? You’ll have the house to yourself.”
She looks almost relieved. Just as I wonder why, I clue on to the obvious when she says, “Home doesn’t really feel like home these days.”
I grind down on my jawbone. “You can stay here as long as you like. Do you need me to fetch any of your books or clothes?”
“No, I’m okay. I’ve been staying with Mary, so I have most of my stuff in my car.” That explains why I didn’t catch her at home this past week.
“Wonderful. In that case, make yourself at home.” I kiss her nose, suddenly struck with an idea.
“What? You’re not going to eat any of this?” She gestures to the mountain of food in front of her.
