Page 56 of Shadow and Skulls

“What? No. You said a week.”

He stares at the ground. “Kelsie, I need you to listen to me. I learned something today, and I …” He runs a hand down his beard, shaking his head. “I need you to keep the faith, but I think I need to take a step back.”

My hand flies to my heart. “From me?”

Tank turns away, moving farther into the church. He sits down after a few minutes, dropping his head into his hands. “Yes, from you.”

My heart beats fast, and I think I’m about to throw up. “Tank.”

He doesn’t face me. “I’m telling the club who I am tomorrow, and I think it’s time to come clean with your parents.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

I make my way toward him. “Don’t do this to me now. I need you.”

His head falls. “I will wait for you, little shadow. That I can promise.”

My head feels like it might explode. I climb onto his lap, grabbing his face in my hands. “Wait for what?”

He grabs my face too, staring into my eyes. “You’ve got more healing to do. We knew we were going to have to back off anyway, to give everyone time to wrap their heads around the thought of you and me.”

Instantly, I let go of him, trying to push off his lap. “That’s a bullshit excuse.”

Tank doesn’t release me. He locks his hands around my back, pulling us chest to chest. His face crowds into mine.

“Stop,” he says, shaking me slightly. “I know what you told your parents today.”

Instantly, I still. My gaze bounces over his face.How does he know?

“Your parents contacted the authorities,” he says, reading my mind.

I try to push away from him again, but he doesn’t budge.

“You told them Dr. Williams talked your mom into giving you to your uncle. And when you finally came forward, he paid you a visit and threatened you. He didn’t want anyone to know about his involvement in your trafficking.”

My hands shake as I press them against him. “How do you know this?”

“I’m from your hometown, Kelsie. Dr. Williams’ stepdaughter is a friend of mine. The authorities called her tonight to let her know another victim had come forward. She called me when she found out it was you. The other night, when you thought someone had sent me here … it was him, wasn’t it?”

Panic rises like acid in the pit of my stomach. Oh my god. Why did I tell my parents? If his stepdaughter knows, that means Dr. Williams knows, too. He’s going to come for me.

“I knew they were going to call the authorities; I didn’t know they’d do it so fast. If she knows, then …”

“You’re not in any danger,” Tank reassures me, brushing my hair away from my face. “He’s already in prison. He was prosecuted for several other charges years ago. You weren’t his only victim. He has at least six more years to serve on his sentence.”

My mind flits back to Dr. Williams’ tiny office and the arch-shaped window I always sat in while he visited with my mom. She went once a week for several years. I’m not sure why because he never made her any better.

I look up at the arched window of the church, suddenly feeling very small.

“Kelsie, did you hear me? I’d like for you to join us today.”

He waits for me to take the chair beside my mom.

“You’ve been causing your mother a lot of unnecessary stress lately, haven’t you?”

I return my focus to the window, watching as the wind blows frost from the tree outside. I ignore him. I’m not his patient. I’m not the one who needs to talk to him.

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