Page 153 of Just This Once

Waverly’s face filled with distaste, but she allowed the hug until Hope pulled away, grasping both of her arms for a happy shake. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

“So…” I waved a hand between the pair. “How do y’all know each other again?”

“We met at the center,” Hope announced as she tossed an arm over Waverly’s shoulders and turned to face me with a big grin. “I was put into her group afteryouchased me out of yours.”

There was a teasing quality in her voice that let me know she no longer held that day against me, no matter how much she liked to give me grief for it, but I was too busy staring at Waverly and feeling my entire body prickle with cold dread.

“What do youmeanyou were in the same group?” I demanded in a hard voice. My eyes narrowed as I addressed Waverly. “Her name never came up as being in your group. Why did you never mention Hope when you filled out the list of possible?—”

“I—” Waverly’s eyes flared, and she stuttered around before adding, “Honestly, I kind of forgot about her. She only came for a month or two before dropping out again. Surely, that couldn’t have been enough time for?—”

When she broke off abruptly, Hope eased her arm from around Waverly’s shoulders and took a small, hesitant step back. “Enough time for what?”

“Couldn’thave been?” I demanded of Library Girl. “Orwasn’t?”

My hard tone made Waverly shrink a step back and simply peer up at me with wide, worried eyes, unable to answer.

“No,” I told her harshly. “No.” But then my gaze strayed to Hope, and everything inside me tightened with dread. My voice broke as I repeated, “No.”

But not Hope. I would lose my fucking mind if it were true.

“What the hell is happening right now?” Hope demanded, glancing between me and Waverly with utter bewilderment.

It made me think my fears were unfounded, but if she’d been in Waverly’s group—for no matter how short a time—then it was still possible.

“Let’s go,” I said, taking her hand as I glanced toward Waverly darkly and repeated, “Thanks again. Idoowe you one.”

Waverly looked scared shitless, but she silently nodded and waved me goodbye.

Hope let me drag her off, her confusion probably helping me tug her along without resistance. But it definitely didn’t keep her from asking questions.

“Are you gonna tell me what that was about?”

“Can’t,” I muttered from a clenched jaw. “I signed an NDA.” Fuck, were you even allowed to say when you’d signed papers, legally agreeing to keep something confidential?

“You—what?” Hope blinked at me as if I’d lost my mind. She glanced over her shoulder and then returned her attention to me before her features flooded with horror. “Oh shit,” she breathed. “This is about the grief center scandal, isn’t it?”

I sent her a sharp, startled glance. The damn woman had always been more perceptive than was normal.

“Hope,” I ground out slowly. “I’mnotallowed to talk about it.”

Her mouth fell open. “It is,” she realized with wide eyes. “You know what happened with all that, don’t you? Of course, you do. The counselor foryourgroup didn’t justhappento become the new director after the old one went to jail. That hasyouwritten all over it. And Waverly…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes widened even more with realization. “Oh my God, not Waverly.”

I stopped walking to make sure we were out of sight of the library. Then I turned to Hope and whispered, “You cannot tell anyone. Not a single word to a single soul.”

Tears sprouted in her eyes, but she bobbed her head immediately. “Of course not,” she agreed readily. “I would never do that to Waverly. But oh my God.Oh my God.I had no idea.” Her tearstained eyes lifted to me. “And you—what role did you play in all this?”

My jaw twitched. I knew I wasn’t allowed to tell her, but she’d already guessed so much. “I’m the one who took him down,” I admitted quietly. “When I learned Director Sprout had gotten a girl pregnant, I hired a private investigator. And after I decided I could trust Matt, I went to him. He helped figure out who else knew and was protecting the bastard. It took us nine months to gather enough evidence to take to the police and expose the whole fucking scandal. We made sure we found everyone who was a part of it. They all paid for their crimes.”

Hope shuddered as she listened. Tears poured down her cheeks. “And Waverly?” She hiccupped, clearly upset. “She—she was one of his victims?”

I nodded sadly. “Her share group was probably hit the hardest. Which is why I flipped the fuck out when I learnedyouhad been in it. Even briefly.”

Hope immediately shook her head. “No. I wasn’t—never. I never even met the director while I was there. I had no idea who he even was.”

I peered at her closely. “Truth?”

She shook her head some more. “I’ve never been raped, Parker. I swear.”

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