Page 18 of A Step Too Close
“I’m coming baby. Jett is driving. What happened? I need you to tell me, Arden,” he says calmly.
“He… He knew about you losing Melody… he knew that we’re married… He kept saying weird shit, implying he has hurt others and no one, including us, has connected it. I hit him and got away but… He followed me out.”
“Did he…?”
“He raped me… I tried to beg him not to, but… he had a knife. He was going to hurt the baby… it’s so tiny but…”
“How far away from Wilder’s are you?” Jett asks. I must be on speaker in the car.
“Five minutes.”
“Is he following?”
“No. I got a picture of his license plate though,” I sniff.
“I’m so sorry, Arden,” Levi says with emotion building in his voice.
“It’s not your fault. I think he’s been watching me for a while. He knew too much not to be close,” I say.
“We are pulling into Wilder and Macie’s right now. Do not stop for any reason, okay?” Levi says.
“I’m not. I’ll be there soon,” I say. “Levi?”
“Yes, baby?”
“I’m not Charlotte,” I say. “I can hear it in your voice. I’m not Charlotte. Okay?”
“I know. I’m trying not to panic. It just…”
“I know. It feels familiar,” I say. “I am almost there.”
“Are you okay… physically?”
“Yeah. I think so. He used a condom,” I sigh. “Pulling past the gate.”
“I see you,” Levi says.
I barely park the truck before Levi yanks the door open and pulls me out. I fall apart so fast that the panic hits me. My legs go weak but he scoops me into his arms before I can fall, but I am suddenly sobbing as I cling to him.
“What the fuck is going on?” Wilder says when Levi gets me on the porch. He says nothing as he takes me in and sits on the couch. “Levi. What’s going on?”
“Caleb cornered her at the store. She was on her way here to take a pregnancy test with Macie. He got to her before she could get to the truck and he raped her,” Jett explains.
“What’s going on?” I hear Macie say as she sits close by.
“Caleb raped her again,” Wilder says with so much anger in his voice that it’s almost unrecognizable.
“Look at me,” Levi says, lifting my chin. “Are you in pain?”
“No,” I whimper. “I’ve taken ten tests… I lied when I said I didn’t know… I knew. I’ve known for weeks.”
“I know, baby. I saw one of the tests,” he says, wiping my tears away. “I also know why you lied. I know you were scared that Iwouldn’t handle it well and all the possible scenarios that could play out.”
“What’s happening?” Macie asks. I sit up and move to sit beside Levi but look down at my hands for a moment. I am collecting my thoughts so I can explain, but I don’t want to keep crying. I look up at Macie and she moves to sit on the ottoman beside Wilder to take my hands.
“I’m pregnant,” I say. “About eight weeks, I think. The period before the missed one was very light, so maybe as far as twelve. I’ve taken ten tests… and I went to get a digital to come here and take with you.”
“What happened with Caleb?” she asks. I focus on her, because I can manage this with her.
