Page 37 of Kept in the Dark

Hailey looked from Sara to Trey. Despite the kindness in her sister’s eyes, Hailey felt betrayed. Out of everyone, Sara knew what it was like to have your vulnerability used against you and the fact that Sara would corner Hailey into telling Trey her secret had Hailey seeing red.

“Nothing. Sara thinks Ryan has to have a reason to attack me, but we all know he doesn’t.” She looked away. “He’s been harassing me without a damn reason since I was a teenager.”

She prayed Trey didn’t ask any more questions. She didn’t want to be humiliated all over again and relive that nightmare as she told her story.

Hailey just hoped Ryan didn’t make good on his threat like he had last time.

Because if he did, Trey wouldn’t be around to stop him.

And this time, they’d bury her next to her mother.

June 27, 2011

1:52 pm

Too uneasy to drive, Hailey asked Trey to take them to Genevieve’s. Though Hailey was nervous to bring Trey around Trinity, she needed to see her daughter after what happened with Ryan, to be reminded of her own survival.

The ride was silent, shock still gripping all of them. Trey tried to clean up his face the best he could, but dried blood still caked his brow. Hailey hoped he wouldn’t need stitches.

“You need to tell him about Ryan,” Sara said to Hailey.

“Tell me what? What the hell is going on?”

Hailey said through gritted teeth, “Shut up, Sara.”

Sara narrowed her eyes. “I don’t get why you won’t tell him after what just happened.”

Hailey whipped around in her seat. “Because it’s none of his business. That’s why.”

Hailey couldn’t believe the audacity of her sister. Sara was the queen of keeping secrets, but Hailey was somehow the bad guy for not spilling her guts just because Sara thought she should? Screw that.

“Give me a break,” Sara said. “It is his business now that he almost killed a guy to protect you.”

Hailey’s mouth fell open. “I didn’t ask him to!”

Sara’s words cut deep. She knew Hailey didn’t want to be seen as the woman who needed a man to save her. The fact that her sister would throw it in her face proved to Hailey that Sara was still the manipulator she’d always been.

Sara rolled her eyes. “That’s irrelevant, don’t you think? You don’t get to keep secrets when they put other people’s lives in danger. It’s the right thing to do and you know it.”

Right. Like Hailey was about to take morality advice from the girl who had just been locked up for the last decade. Hailey snorted. “That’s rich coming from you.”

Sara quickly leaned forward. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means-”

“That’s enough,” Trey interjected. “I know you two have your own issues to work through, but I don’t want it happening in my truck.”

Hailey turned back around in her seat, crossing her arms as she scowled. Sara sat back and did the same.

Hailey hated that Sara wouldn’t mind her own business. If she wanted Trey to know what happened, she would have told him. She felt like she’d just been tattled on to her parents.

She wanted the terror of that night erased from her memory. She hoped it would slowly fade into darkness if she pretended it never happened.

Sighing inwardly, she pushed those thoughts aside as they pulled into Genevieve’s driveway. Both Sara and Hailey slammed the truck doors as they got out, Trey shaking his head at their childish behavior.

Hailey took in the white farm-house style home and its beautiful wrap-around porch. It had been one of Hailey’s favorite places to go as a child; an escape from her own house of horrors. She noticed that Sara didn’t move toward the house either, both reminiscing.

Finally, Hailey walked up the steps and Trey and Sara followed. She didn’t bother knocking. “Gen? It’s Hailey. I have visitors,” she yelled.

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