Now or Never(34)

“Thanks.” It didn’t seem adequate for what she’d just given him, what she’d been giving to both of them all along, but it was all he had.

A quick nod and she was gone, brushing through the swinging doors and out of sight. Jay shook himself. He’d have to take a deeper look at those fucked up issues some other time, he had work to do.

***

When Em was around, Jay could sense it on his skin like a static electric charge in the air, the kind you can feel right before a lightning storm. The kind he felt as he dug beneath the bar for an extra dish cloth. She wasn’t on the schedule, but he knew she was there the moment she stepped through the door.

As soon as their eyes met, he also knew something was wrong. Very wrong. And when she flew straight toward him, his fears were confirmed. Meeting her at the vacant end of the bar, he was startled when she slammed her hand down on the polished wooden surface.

“What is that?”

Em slid a plain white envelope across the bar. It was labeled only with Em followed by Ashlyn’s address. There was no return address, but he knew with a sickening certainty from the way she was reacting to whatever was inside, exactly who had sent it.

He glanced up to find her watching him. Waiting to gauge his reaction. He couldn’t hide from her any easier than she could from him. “Open it.”

He did, and slid out the news article printed on generic white computer paper. Jay’s stomach rolled at the sight of Em’s uncle. The image of that bastard in cuffs should have brought a sense of satisfaction, but all it caused him was dread because he knew why his father had sent her this.

Not just to prove to him that he could find her, or that he knew more about her than he should. It was the headline that went along with the photo that was meant to do the damage.

47-year-old Man Accused of Sexual Assault Involving His 12-year-old Neighbor.

And from the blatant pain in Em’s eyes, he knew the son of a bitch had hit his mark with precision.

“Em.”

She squeezed her eyes closed, obviously trying to maintain her composure in public.

“Hold on, baby.” Jay took her small fisted hand in his and squeezed, scanning the restaurant until he locked eyes with Mindy. “Hey, Mindy, can you cover for me for a minute?”

Without waiting for an answer he ducked under the bar, taking his coat with him, and dropped it over Em’s huddled shoulders. Why the hell wasn’t she wearing one? She was still in her pajamas, for chrissakes, the bottoms of her pants soaked through like she’d walked there. And with Ashlyn busy covering the front section all morning, she must have.

Wrapping an arm around her back, Jay ushered her out the door as Mindy called something about having her own tables to cover. Jay didn’t care. She’d figure it out. He had more important things to take care of.

Em didn’t hesitate to climb in when he opened the passenger side door to his truck. When he slid in beside her, he found her staring distantly out the front windshield. To anyone else she would look calm and composed, almost serene. But he knew better. She was hanging by a thread.

“Em—”

“I looked it up.” Jay’s heart squeezed painfully. The more she knew, the more she’d torture herself. “Her name’s Tori. I sort of remember her playing outside when she was little. She said he . . . he . . .”

“Don’t, baby. Don’t let this—”

“It’s all my fault.”

And there it was. The pain, the guilt, the self-loathing. She’d worn them like a shield when he first met her. Walls she could hide behind and keep everyone else out. Walls he’d worked so damn hard to break down. They were all shooting back up again.

“No. Em, this is not your fault. He’s a sick, twisted bastard. He did this.”

“Because I left.”

“No.”

“I left knowing what he was. What did I think? He would just stop? I-I didn’t even warn anyone.” A sob broke free as she buried her face in her hands.

“Shh.” Jay slid across the vinyl bench and pulled her into his arms. She went willingly, for which he was undeniably grateful. “You didn’t cause this. You didn’t cause any of this, Em. You did what you had to do. You escaped. You survived. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“But I knew she lived next door. I didn’t even—”

“No. I didn’t think of it, either. My first, last, and only thought was and always will be you, Em.”

“I should have said something.” Her body shook in his arms as she clutched his shirt, desperately pulling him closer like she needed him to hold her together. “I should have told somebody. If I had, this never would have happened to her. If I hadn’t been such a coward.”