Page 69 of Jael

“You. Danny Fletcher dragging me from a bar because I’ve lost control.”

He nodded. “You’d rather someone else came to save you.”

“No. That’s not what I mean. It’s been ten years. If you were in prison right now— If they hadn’t let you out, or if you hadn’t come back to see my dad, where would I be right now?”

“Someone else would have come.”

“No. There’s no one to look out for me. You’re here now, but you’ll go too, won’t you?”

She was right. He would go, and there wouldn’t be anyone. Hannah cared, but she couldn’t do much. Jael needed to be set free. “I’m here now.”

“What about when I marry Christopher?”

“Don’t marry him.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice.”

“Just take me away from here, will you?”

He helped her to his car and settled her in the passenger seat. When he got in on the other side, she was resting her head on the headrest with her eyes closed.

“You sure you don’t want me to take you home?” he said.

“No.” Her hand fumbled for his with her eyes still closed, and he took it. “Just drive.”

Chapter 19

Piles of trashwere blown against the edge of the weeds that bordered the parking area of the lookout, but it didn’t hinder the view.

“I haven’t been up here in a long time,” Danny said after he turned off the car.

“I’ve never been up here,” Jael said, releasing her seatbelt.

“It used to be cleaner.”

“You used to bring girls up here?” She didn’t really want to know, but she was in the mood for a fight.

“I’m not proud of the man I once was,” he said. “I made a lot of mistakes.”

When she looked at him, she expected to see pity. But what framed the edges of his eyes was longing. A look she’d hoped for all those years ago. She held his gaze for a moment but had to look away. He was partly right about her motivation for seeking him out back then. The danger of a man her father didn’t approve of had bolstered her.

But Danny had been a young man who, even though he’d done her father’s bidding, reserved something for himself. She knew there were lines her dad had crossed that Danny neverwould, and she had wanted a part of that for herself. He may not have treated her how he should have, but her intentions with him had been selfish. Maybe she’d gotten what she deserved. All of this was what she deserved. As much as she felt a stirring when he looked at her, he deserved better than her. She had to make him understand.

“It wasn’t all your fault,” she said. “What you did to me.”

“It absolutely was.”

She rubbed at her eyes, wishing she hadn’t drunk so much. “You were right. I was using you.”

He nodded slowly. “That doesn’t excuse my behavior.”

“Still, it was for the best. Nothing good would have come from us getting together.”

“Again, you might be right, but I refuse to let you justify what I did. I regretted it even while I was doing it.”

“Then why did you?”

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