Page 40 of Kept in the Dark

Sara’s eyes darted up to Genevieve as she pulled her hand away. “You knew?”

The woman began crying again. “Yes. I never saw it first-hand, but I had a feeling he might have been hurting you.”

Hailey furrowed her brows. “Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you help us?”

“Does it matter?” Sara snapped. She stood and began pacing the dining room. “The bottom line is she knew and didn’t do anything about it.”

Genevieve shrunk at Sara’s words but then nodded. “She’s right.” She wiped her face. “There isn’t an excuse in the world that will make it okay.”

Hailey angrily pointed to herself. “I need to know. You at least owe me that truth.”

Genevieve looked away and shrugged. “I didn’t want it to be true. I saw a different side of David that no one else saw and I wanted to believe that’s who he was. So, I pretended it was. And I didn’t want to betray him. It’s so stupid now, but we had been so close growing up and I couldn’t betray that friendship. It was easier to stick my head in the sand, especially when it came to his affair.”

The room fell silent as everyone retreated to their thoughts. Sara was seething and Hailey was trying to make sense of all that Genevieve had confessed to.

Then, Trey asked the question that was hanging over everyone. “Gen, who was he seeing?”

“It was that Nicole House woman. The waitress at the pizza place.” Genevieve spoke her name as if it tasted like vinegar.

Hailey froze, her breath caught in her lungs. “What did you say?”

“Nicole House. The waitress.”

That wasn’t right. It couldn't be Nicole House.

That would mean Ryan was her half-brother.

She recalled the way Ryan’s eyes had darkened that night and she was instantly transported in time. He hated her and now she understood why.

Ryan had made good on his threat, his fists pounding on her body. She had tried to fight back but it had only fueled his anger, giving him a sick satisfaction with every punch she landed. It was as if he welcomed her fear, fed off her terror.

She had somehow managed to guard her stomach, aware she would likely lose her baby. He had continued to rain down his fury as he kicked and punched her. And then he had wrapped his hands around her neck and squeezed, watching her life slowly dissipate.

Her own brother had tried to kill her, and their father swept it under the rug to keep his own secrets hidden. How could her father turn a blind eye to all of the torment she’d endured over the years? She found it hard to breathe.

“No. No, no, no.” Hailey stood abruptly and began pacing. Heat rushed over her as darkness threatened to take her under. Her heart pounded and she wondered if everyone else could hear it. The room swayed as her body fought off panic and she tried and failed to fill her lungs.

Trey stood up, alarmed by her reaction. He called her name, but his voice was muffled. She tried reaching for him, her hands grasping at the air.

Why couldn’t she get to him?

Before she could say anything more, she hit the floor.

“Hailey?”

Why was Sara so far away?

“Momma! Wake up!”

Trinity?

Hailey’s head throbbed. As she came to, she slowly opened her eyes, squinting against the light. Trey was holding her and blotting her forehead with a wet towel as Trinity, Sara, Cecilia, and Genevieve gathered around her. She steadied herself against Trey, but a jolt of pain ricocheted through her skull, and she winced.

“You okay, Princess?” She looked up to see Trey, his brows furrowed in worry.

“Don’t call me that,” she muttered.

Trey chuckled. “Glad you’re back in full force.”

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