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I don’t think Sheila dislikes me. She’s never been rude or horrible or even judged us. But she’s skeptical, curious. She desperately wants to understand the true dynamic between us. And I’m sure my sudden disappearance, followed by Mav’s, hasn’t helped things.
Silence fills the space around us as she puts the car into drive and pulls out from under the tree cover and out onto a path.
Reaching over, Mav captures my hand, holding it tight in his as his concerned stare burns the side of my face.
He might have questions, but right now, I have more, and I think they’re a little more pressing than how I truly feel about leaving that house and the men inside behind.
“How’s Daisy?” I ask, leaning forward to focus on Sheila as she takes a turn that will lead us away from Harrow Creek.
“Oh, you know,” Sheila says fondly. “A whirlwind like always.”
I can’t help but smile as I think of the dark-haired little terror. She reminds me so much of Kristie when she was little it hurts. She’s incredible though. Strong-willed, independent, opinionated, almost four-year-old. All the things that I hope will serve her well in a place like Harrow Creek.
But it also terrifies me. I’ve experienced firsthand what life can be like here for young, innocent girls. The thought of Daisy experiencing anything like I have, like her mom did; well, it sends ice racing through my veins.
Mav’s offered to help relocate both of them so that Daisy can grow up somewhere nicer, but despite knowing that it’s probably best for her, Sheila can’t do it.
I get it. As much as I want to leave, the thought of leaving memories of Kristie behind rips me to shreds. But living in the past doesn’t help anyone. If we want to experience the best of life, we need to look forward, to plan for a better tomorrow instead of drowning in what’s already gone.
Maybe one day Sheila will find the strength to walk away from the memories of everything this town has stolen from her. Maybe she won’t. But one thing is for sure, Mav and I will do whatever it takes to protect that little girl. I will do anything I can to ensure she doesn’t experience even a hint of what I am. And something tells me that even though we’ve just left them behind, Reid and JD will do the exact same thing, and not just for Daisy, but for every little girl and young woman in this town. Every single one of them deserves to live a life without fearing every man they pass on the street, and risking having their innocence stolen too young.
“You okay?” Mav whispers, feeling my hand trembling with both fear and determination to do the right thing.
“Honestly?” I ask, turning to look at him, “I’ve no idea.”
2
MAVERICK
My stomach knots and Alana’s brow furrows in confusion as she stares back at me.
“Sorry for waking you and doing this in the middle of the night,” I whisper, although I’ve no doubt Sheila is eavesdropping on my every word.
Alana shakes her head, rebutting my apology.
Part of me expected her to argue. When I went up to bed earlier and didn’t find her waiting for me, my heart sank. It would have been so much easier if she were there. I could have waited until the house was silent, woke her and done this without risking waking JD.
Seeing her curled up in his bed with him… it hurt. I could deal when I was there too. But knowing she’d turned her back on me and so obviously chose him, well… ouch.
On some level, I get it. Since the moment I saw Victor appear on the screen before us, I shut down. The shutters lowered the second his arrival was announced, and as the minutes went by, it only got worse.
As a kid, I idolized both Victor and Dad. I thought they were these larger-than-life gangsters, the kind you watch in movies. But as I got older and realization dawned, things changed fast for me.
I could have walked away. Maybe I should have when I first started getting suspicious of their activities. But then the first time I looked into her eyes after figuring it all out, I knew I couldn’t do it.
The girl who made it all look easy. The girl I’m pretty sure we were all jealous of because she didn’t have the kind of responsibility on her shoulders that we did, was suffering more than any of us.
All I had to do was figure out a way to get her out of there without risking her life, and my own in the process.
The only thing worse than leaving her in the hands of those men, would be getting her safe, and then dying, leaving her unprotected for them to come for her again.
A violent shudder rips down my spine. Alana feels it, her hand gripping mine tighter before she slides across the seat and tucks herself into my side.
She shivers against me. I’ve no idea if it’s from the fresh fall night air or due to fear, but either way, I wrap my arm around her and hold her tight.
“I love you,” I whisper, just in case she needs a reminder.
It’s not until she slides her hand under the hem of my long-sleeved black top, the coolness of her skin hitting mine that I realize I was holding my breath.
