Page 9 of Don't Look Back

“You’re going to be ok, sweetheart. You know how gossip filled this town is. If a stranger steps foot inside Maple Springs, we’ll know about it before he can find you.”

“And what if he sneaks in undetected? What if he breaks into my house and is there waiting for me when I get home one night? Then what, Ollie!”

“He won't be able to find you. I own the house. There’s no record of you living here. All of the utilities are in my name and Mr. Green has gone out of his way to make sure your name and picture is never in the paper. No one knows you live here, Les. Hell, you haven’t even changed your license. Do you even own a credit card? That’s the only other way I can think of that he could track you.”

“No,” I whisper. I went out of my way to make sure Jimmy could never find me again.

After suffering through multiple broken bones, cuts, and bruises, I finally found the strength to leave him. It took me five long years to get away from him. Five years of abuse and trauma, but I did it.

Some people wonder why I didn’t just leave when it all started, but it isn't that easy. At first, you kind of excuse the behavior. Maybe he had a bad day or I did something to make him snap. It’s just a one-time thing, he’d never do this to me again.

Except it kept happening.

And each time it got worse.

“You’re going to be fine, Les. Just pay attention to your surroundings and try not to go anywhere alone.” Ollie presses a kiss to my forehead.

“I live alone, Ollie! Even if I stay home, I'm alone! I go grocery shopping alone. If I want to eat out, I'm alone.”

“You know you’re always welcome to stay with Shirley and I. We’d love to have you.” He lifts his shoulder in a shrug.

“Oh, yeah?” I roll my eyes. “I’m sure she’ll love having me live with you. And how long do I stay? Until Jimmy’s spotted again? It could be months, maybe even years. It’s not like he didn’t randomly disappear when we were together.”

“I don’t know. I’m just trying to help. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

I take a step out of his arms and spin in a circle. I need to think. I need to be smart about this. Maybe I should call Uncle Mason. He’d know what to do.

“Maybe it’s time for me to move on to somewhere new.” I drop my head back until I'm staring up at the sky that’s growing darker by the second.

Spring can't come fast enough, but winter isn't letting up anytime soon. There’s a chill in the air, but it’s only a matter of time before it starts snowing and the days will get even shorter.

Maybe I’ll go somewhere warm. A little beach town. That actually might work. In the off season they’re deserted and during the summer months, there are so many people around, Jimmy probably wouldn’t be able to find me.

“Stop it. Whatever you’re thinking about, just stop it. You’re not moving from Maple Springs. You finally started building a life here and now you want to pick up and move? That’s stupid, Zoey.”

My attention snaps to him and I glare, but he doesn’t care. He used my real name on purpose.

“If you’re going to keep moving and having to start over, you might as well just go back to him.”

“What! So, he can keep abusing me? It’s only a matter of time until he kills me.”

“You’re not even living.” Ollie drops his gaze to his feet and shakes his head. “You don’t let anyone in and you’re not building any relationships. You might not realize it, but he’s still controlling your life so much. He’s still able to keep you withdrawn from others and stuck in a house all alone. Stop giving him this control over your life, Zoey. Start living. Make friends. Date. Do something that would piss the fucker off and start living your damn life.”

He runs a frustrated hand through his hair and shakes his head. I know how much he cares about me and I understand what he’s saying, but he’s never lived through what I have. He just doesn’t understand the intense fear that lives deep inside of me because of Jimmy.

“I need to get going. I'm supposed to be at Skylar’s in a few minutes.” I step past Ollie and climb inside my car.

As soon as my door is shut, I click the locks, just like I always do. I’ve learned not to trust my surroundings. The locks are always engaged. After what happened to Aunt Kelsey, I’m always on alert.

I turn my key and take a deep breath when the engine purrs to life. I'm ok now. I can get away from thisplace and Jimmy can't stop me. As long as I have a car, it’s going to be fine.

It has to be.

Chapter 7

Colton

“Put a dollar in the cuss jar, Uncle Colton!” Riley shoves the glass jar in my face with a big smile.

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