The Complete Arrogant Series(64)

“Don’t say that.”

“You look good, Jensen.” She licks the dried blood from her lips. “You look healthy, strong.”

What she’s saying is she’s not used to seeing me without so much as a bump or bruise.

“You doing okay?” she asks.

I don’t have time to get into it with her. “More or less.”

“Good for you.” She cups her hand above her eyes, shielding the morning sun.

“What are you doing here, anyway? You know you could get in a lot of trouble coming here.”

“I had nowhere to go, Jensen. I finally left him. For good.” She holds my gaze with those helpless, puppy dog eyes, the ones that lured me in each time. We were both broken and fucked up in our own ways, suffering years of abuse at the hands of the men who were supposed to protect us. She’d mentioned one night that her daddy used to touch her when she was little, and I’m certain that Josiah knew damn well how to give her just enough of his bullshit-flavored love to fill the void that left her emotionally stunted.

“There’s got to be a women’s shelter around here,” I say.

“I don’t want to go to one of those,” she says without hesitation.

I want to help her. I do. “You can’t stay here. Kath wouldn’t allow it. Plus, there’s no room.”

And I’m not in a position to be asking personal favors at the moment…

“What about your sister in Provo?” I ask.

“She won’t speak to me.” Juliette hangs her head. I know she had a falling out with her sister years ago, though she never went into detail. I get the feeling she’s been a disappointment to a lot of people over the years, but she’s a product of the cards she’s been dealt. No one should blame her for that. Underneath her fake boobs, stripper-blonde hair, and layers of caked up makeup, she’s got a heart of gold. People prey on women like her because they’re easy targets.

“Why don’t I help you?” It’s the best I can do. “I’ll go with you, kind of help explain the situation. Mediate a little. Once she sees you, once she hears what you’ve endured over the years, she won’t be able to turn you away.”

Juliette’s shoulders rise and fall as she sucks in a long breath. She hangs her head, her shoes scuffing against the pavement of the driveway.

“But first, let’s go file a police report. Josiah Mackey might own the Charter Springs police department, but he doesn’t have any weight up here.”

We head to the police where they take Juliette’s statement, give her a fresh change of clothes, and photograph damn near every square inch of her bruised and battered body.

It’s a long process involving tears and retellings of harsh memories neither one of us wanted to recall, but there’s a spring in her step when we walk out, and I know we did the right thing.

“I don’t think I could’ve done that alone.” She flicks the business card of her assigned caseworker as I walk her to her car. She’s going to meet with her first thing Monday, and she’s been told this lady will help her find housing and hook her up with other resources to help get her on her feet.

“Just promise me, no matter what, you’ll never go back to that bastard.”

“I promise.” She drags her fingers across her chest, making an “X” and then crosses her fingers. For whatever reason, I believe her this time.

“Ready to go to Provo?”

She combs her nails through her hair, sweeping her platinum hair into place and staring toward the sunset. “Yeah. Let’s go.”





CHAPTER 28




Waverly

“I’m on your side, you know,” Bellamy says after a solid half hour of silence. Her hands grip the steering wheel of her Toyota, perfectly placed at ten and two. She’s been checking the rearview mirror every other second, and by the way she’s acting, you’d think we’re being followed.

She’s on a mission, one of my father’s loyal minions. I should’ve known not to trust a girl with secrets as deep as they are wide. I wouldn’t put it past her to have been conspiring with him all along, waiting for the perfect time to arrange my marriage.

It makes sense. She didn’t want to be married off, so she put the heat on me. I wouldn’t be surprised if she were feeding my father’s paranoia about Jensen and me this entire time.

I hate my sister.

I stare out the window, my head against the glass. If I could sit further away from her, I would, but her car is small and there’s no escaping. Maybe when we stop for gas, I’ll run. It would be insane and desperate, but it might be the only way.