Page 381 of Dark Love

Why is she explaining this to me? “That sounds like a reasonable rule. Your dad cares for you.” I shift my gaze to Max. There’s a tension to his countenance like I’ve never seen before. His father mirrors his stance. They could be warriors of old preparing for battle… in my kitchen?!? “It’s not good to keep things like that a secret.”

“Then you understand.” Her shoulders relax. “I was worried you’d be upset with me for telling.”

“Understand what?”

“Hope?” Talon speaks for the first time. “Could this have been a mistake?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “I’m sure.”

“Maybe your nonna should talk to her alone.”

Talk to me about what? “Hope, what’s going on?” Last thing I knew, we were talking about ramen and date rape drugs…

“I told my father that you were drugged over the weekend.”

WHAT?

“See I told you. She wouldn’t look like her dog died if it wasn’t true.”

“Hope.” Max sets a hand on her shoulder. “You should go home now.”

“But I need to be here for her. Prue is my friend.”

Be here for me? “I never told you I was drugged.”

“You didn’t need to tell me. But you do need to tell my dad what happened.”

“Why do I need to tell your father?”

“So, he can fix it.”

Fix it. Fix it. “No one can fix it when you’re drugged. No one can ever take that feeling away from you.”

Hope runs across the room and wraps her arms around me. “My daddy can fix anything.”

If only that were true. I squeeze her back.

“Hope,” Max speaks softly. “Go check on dinner.”

“But—”

“Go check on dinner.” He nods towards the front door. “Now.”

“Fine.” Hope lets me go and walks out of the room.

“Tell us what happened,” Talon demands as soon as the front door closes.

“Um.”

Temperance places a hand on his arm. “This might be hard for her to talk about.”

“Fine, you don’t need to talk. Just give me a name.”

This isn’t happening.

This isn’t happening.

My neighbors aren’t in my kitchen demanding to know about what was almost the worst night of my life.

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