Page 69 of Faking It

“You did what you had to do. Don’t you dare explain anything. Not to me or anyone. You probably wouldn’t be here if you didn’t react as quickly as you did.”

“Tell that to Margaret,” I mutter, remembering her stinging remark as I stood facing her behind the jail cell.‘Why didn’t you slit your wrists instead, you stupid cunt?’

“Her opinion doesn’t matter when you survived that attack,” he points out.

“Barely.”

Gideon leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Meaning?”

“Unlucky for me, he was well-connected. Wealthy, which explains why Margaret took his side. It was his word against mine, and his words held more power. I was a minor at sixteen, but they tried me as an adult. A jury of his peers found me guilty of attempted murder.”

“Jesus,” Gideon mutters.

“The judge gave me five years, but I made it out in two because of good behavior. Once I got out, I left Kentwood and headed straight to LA.”

“I don’t understand. How did you make it here?”

“I made a friend inside. Megan. Her mom helped me when I got out, gave me money for an airplane ticket and enough to tide me over for a few weeks. A few days after getting here, I scored that gig at the bar where we met.”

“Wow.” Gideon shakes his head, breathing a hefty sigh. “Now it all makes sense. Your mom showing up at the bar, you getting upset, then disappearing. You changing your name and appearance…” He shifts his focus from his hands to my face. “What did she want?”

Bitterness rises up my throat at the mention of that emotional scene. “Margaret blamed me for that asshole leaving her. She said I owed her. If I didn’t pay up, she’d tell my boss about my crime.”

I see the wonder on his face, and it reminds me of the throat-locking fear I experienced when I thought he’d overheard our conversation. To think I almost missed out on our friendship because of that mistake.

Yes, there’s no doubt we’re friends after tonight. People don’t share these dark secrets without forming a special bond.

Gideon’s powerful body unfolds from the chair as he rises, his fists pressed against his sides. “I’m pissed at your mom for treating you like crap, but that piece of shit deserves more than my anger. Give me a name, Ana, and I’ll do everything in my power to make him pay for what he’s done.”

“I—I don’t want to say his name.”

“Why not?” he presses with a confused tilt of his brows.

“Because I don’t want to,” I reply.

“You’re scared,” he observes, awareness filling his eyes.

My hands fly up in frustration. “Of course, I’m scared! I was scared when he almost took my innocence. Scared when those cops came to arrest me, when I got sentenced to prison. I’m scared that people will write me off for the crime of defending myself. Yes. I’m scared as hell.”

“Ana.” Gideon leans in, his fierce, intentional gaze locked on me. “Let go of that fear. Take your power back.Say his name.”

His body vibrates with fury. It radiates from his head to toe, leaving me warm and teary-eyed. I’ve never had anyone get angry on my behalf. I’ve never had anyone willing to fight for me. I swipe away the tears that run down the corners of my eyes as I whisper, “His name is James.”

Chapter 26

Ana

“Fucking hell.” My fists uncurl, tension flowing from my body at her words. All the dots are being connected tonight. “Now I understand why you called me Carter. Why you went from being friendly to closed off in the bar that night.”

“I haven’t said that name since he tried to force himself on me,” she whispers, light filling her eyes as she stands. “It felt good.”

“Good.”

I’m dying to touch her. The urge to take her in my arms is even stronger than the night Michael attacked her—

“Jesus,” I mutter, an awareness filling me. “Michael tried to do the same thing to you.”

Ana nods, fiddling with her hands.

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