Page 63 of Return of the Bad Girl (Rock Canyon, Idaho 4)

“Val, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for the way I acted earlier. I’ve just been a little on edge lately.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I know I handled my invitation badly. You’ve got a lot going on, and I didn’t mean to lash out at you.”

“No, look, I haven’t been exactly available to you, and I know my taking off twelve years ago was sudden, but there are things you don’t know. Things that are hard for me to talk about. But that last argument with Dad . . . He asked me to do something I just couldn’t do, and when I refused, he told me to get out and never come back.”

“He said you refused to go to college at Boise State,” Val said, her voice laced with confusion.

It was time. With Kyle’s attack weighing on her mind, she had been considering telling her sisters, especially now that their father knew.

Before she changed her mind, Caroline drew in a deep breath and her courage. “I couldn’t go to Boise State because the guy who raped me went there.”

Both of her sisters gasped, but Val was the one who reacted first. She pulled Caroline into her arms roughly, squeezing her so hard she almost couldn’t breathe.

“Oh my God, Caroline, why didn’t you tell me?”

Tears pricked Caroline’s eyes, and she swallowed hard. “I didn’t tell anyone.”

“But why?” Ellie asked, joining in on the hug.

“Partly, to protect you guys,” Caroline said, second-guessing herself. If she told Val everything, her sister might lose her shit and confront Kyle. “The other half was because I was afraid no one would believe me.”

“Of course we’d believe you! Who wouldn’t believe you?” Ellie said, pulling away to look Caroline right in the eye.

At least, that’s where she assumed Ellie was looking, but her vision was too blurry to know for sure. Val pulled away too, but she was giving off waves of rage that told Caroline her prediction wasn’t far off the mark.

“I want to know who it was,” Val said. “I’m going to kill him. Eviscerate him. Stake him to the ground in Justin’s cornfield and run him over with the harvester.”

Caroline was already shaking her head, despite the insane urge to laugh at her five-foot, hundred-pound sister taking Kyle out. “I can’t tell you.”

“What?” Ellie and Val both cried, but only Val added, “Why the hell not?”

“Because what good would it do? It’s in the past, and if I was going to do something, I should have done it right after it happened, but I was so afraid—” She caught herself before she finished saying that she was afraid Kyle would hurt them and said instead, “You two just need to be careful, okay? Make sure you aren’t going off alone, especially at night.”

Val opened her mouth to say something else, but Justin popped his head out at that moment, flashing an apologetic smile. “Sorry to interrupt, but dinner’s on the table,” Justin said, raising his hand to wave. “Hey, Caroline, glad you could make it.”

“Thanks, Justin.”

“We’ll be in,” Val said, waiting until he’d shut the door again before hissing, “This is not over. I will have that bastard’s name.”

“Down, girl,” Caroline said, reaching out for Val’s hand. “I appreciate you wanting to avenge my honor, but I don’t need you to go all vigilante justice, okay? I just need you to be careful and take care of yourself.” Caroline held up her hand, stopping Val’s protest. “Let’s just enjoy dinner with your future in-laws.”

Val started sputtering that they weren’t engaged and the normal, safe conversation warmed Caroline, who was trying hard to get her emotions in check. For years, she’d imagined what it would feel like to unburden herself on someone else, and even though she hadn’t shared everything, it was still relieving to have this one secret off her chest.

And to know that her sisters had been supportive. Between Ellie’s compassion and Val’s protective nature, Caroline felt cherished and loved; she had forgotten how good it felt to be accepted.

Val headed for the porch first, while Ellie and Caroline trailed behind. Caroline touched Ellie’s arm and pointed to her eye.

“This better not happen again,” Caroline whispered.

“I told you, it—”

“What are you two talking about without me?” Val asked, holding the door open for them.

“Nothing,” Ellie said, quickly.

“I was just giving her a little advice about what to do in a fight,” Caroline said, catching Ellie’s eye meaningfully. “The first rule is, don’t get hit.”

Ellie pushed past Val to get inside.

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