“Austin—”
“A minute,” he snapped.
I recoiled into myself, and he sighed.
“Fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. It’s just a lot at once. I fucking hate this prick who hurt you. And, now, I feel like a douche. No wonder you never wanted to talk to me again when you thought I’d used you. Christ! How can you even look at me?”
“You’re not Dillon, Austin.”
Austin Wright might be an asshole. He might have a drinking problem. He might put himself first in most things. But no one was as bad as Dillon.
If this was already too much, there was no way I could tell him the rest. If I peeled back all the layers of Juliana Peterson, no one could love her. She was a broken, used girl. And, when I thought about Dillon, I became that scared, helpless girl again. Rather than the strong woman who’d gotten away and built her own life. And I needed Julia Banner.
“We need to go to the cops,” Austin said abruptly.
I nodded, knowing he was right. “I’ll go in the morning.”
“We’re going now.”
“Austin, you have Patrick’s birthday tonight.”
“That can wait.”
“No. Look, it’s just one night.”
“Julia—”
“I’ll be with Heidi and Emery. Have fun with the guys. Let me deal with Dillon.”
Fire burst in his eyes at that suggestion. He didn’t seem to like that one bit.
“I need to tell the girls anyway. Just…be safe, okay?”
“I’m driving you there. I’m not leaving you alone.”
“I’m not going to have my life dictated again,” I told him.
“You just told me that some psychopath is out there, and you expect me to let you drive off alone? Fuck no, Jules.”
“Okay. You’re right,” I said. I didn’t want to fight.
I’d just dropped a lot on Austin. It was unfair of me to just expect him to be okay with something I’d been dealing with all of my adult life. Not that I was okay with anything that had happened with Dillon.
Austin seemed frazzled the rest of the time as we got ready. All the tension that had left his body from the hot sex we’d had was gone. He threw on jeans and a button-up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. After running product through his hair, he hustled me out of his house in my slightly damp dress. He finally conceded in letting me drive my own car, but he followed me all the way to Heidi’s.
We both parked in the driveway. He hopped out of his idling car and came around to help me out.
“Thanks,” I said, leaning forward to kiss him.
“Are you sure I should still go out tonight?”
“Yes, I’m sure. It’s your best friend’s birthday.”
His cupped my cheeks and dragged me into a slow, steady kiss. “Be safe, Jules.”
“I’ll be fine. I promise.”
He sighed and looked like he wanted to say so much more, but that was when Landon stepped out of the front door.
“Do I get to take your piece-of-shit car to the party?”
Austin flipped him off. “Watch your mouth!”
Landon snickered. “Come on. Let’s get going. Patrick is going to be surrounded by those douchey gym bros you all hang with. He’ll need some class.”
“Then, why are you coming?” Austin asked.
Landon punched him as he passed by, walking toward the Alfa Romeo. “Can I drive?”
“Fuck no,” Austin said. “No one drives my car!”
Landon slid into the driver’s side anyway.
“See? You’ll have a good time.”
“If I don’t kill my brother in the meantime.”
“You love him.”
“Yeah. I do.”
Austin kissed me one more time before kicking Landon out of the driver’s seat and zooming off toward Patrick’s party. I sighed with relief. I was glad that conversation was done with. He had some time to hang with the guys and decompress. Hopefully, that would help him wrap his head around the truth bomb I’d dropped on him.
Now, I had to do it all over again with my girls. They deserved to know as well. Especially because, if Dillon was here in Lubbock, then no one was safe. Not really.
I took a deep breath and then went inside to find Heidi and Emery. Heidi was in a hot-pink sundress with her blonde hair in long, beachy waves. Emery was in cutoff jean shorts and Converse. Apparently, I’d chosen incorrectly for girls’ night.
Heidi arched an eyebrow at my appearance. “Girl, what the hell did Austin do to you?”
I smiled. “Nothing I didn’t ask for.”
Emery snorted, next to Heidi. “I like it.”