Page 60 of Follow Me Down

“I screamed... So loud. But we were too far from the party for anyone to hear me. I’m still not sure how I got away. All I know is the moment I was free, I had to run. And so I did. I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know which direction the lake house was. So I just ran. I ran as far and as fast as my feet would take me.” She pulls in a slow breath. “That’s when you found me.”

“Fallon.” I squeeze her hand.

“I didn’t even care that I didn’t know you. I just wanted, no, Ineeded, to get away from there. From him. From everyone. I didn’t expect to still be here almost two weeks later. I didn’t anticipate the bonds I would form with you and Link. The truth is, I feel more at home here than I ever felt with my father. You took me in, no questions asked. You gave me a place to stay. You made me feel cared for and safe. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you for what you did for me that night, and for every moment since.”

“This guy... Did you know him before that night?”

“No.” She shakes her head slowly, her soft curls moving across her shoulders.

“So you have no idea where he is now?”

“No.” She blinks. “And I hope I never see him again.”

“What he did to you... What he could have done to you.” I release her hand and stand, running my fingers through my hair.

“Hey.” She stands too, reaching for me. “He tried and he failed.”

“It still doesn’t make it okay, Fallon.” My voice is strained, my anger clear.

The thought of him touching her, of her screaming for help and there being no one to help her. It’s like someone has lit a fire in my chest and it’s quickly spreading into a consuming inferno.

“I know it doesn’t.”

I hate that she’s the one reassuring me. It should be me reassuring her, comforting her, making sure she knows that no one will ever hurt her that way again.

“Was he there? When I took you to get your things, was he there?”

“No.” She looks down at the ground.

“Jesus, Fallon. You knew he could have been though. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because I didn’t want to cause a scene. I just wanted to get in and out undetected. I wanted to forget that it ever happened.”

“But had he been there...”

“He wasn’t,” she cuts in, her blue eyes finding mine. “And it’s over now. I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to move past it.”

Move past it? How can she be so cavalier about this? The last thing I want to do is move past it. In truth, I want to track this mother fucker down and make damn sure he doesn’t have the means to ever hurt someone like this again.

I try to push down my anger and remind myself that this isn’t about me. This is about Fallon.MyFallon. The sweet, innocent girl who walked into my life unexpectedly and completely turned my world on its axis.

“I’m sorry.” I let out a puff of air. “Just the thought of him hurting you...”

“But he didn’t.”

I consider her words, my thoughts filtering back to what started this conversation to begin with.

“You’re serious about never going home again?”

“I am. At least not if I have any choice in the matter. I’m done. With my father. With that life. There’s nothing left there for me.”

“Your father didn’t seem to agree with you.”

“He doesn’t care about me. He only cares about what my actions will look like to others. My whole life he’s been priming me to be the perfect politician’s daughter. Every move I make has been under scrutiny for as long as I can remember. I’ve been trained to smile at the right moment. When to speak and when to stay quiet. My life is about him. It always has been. And it’s only gotten worse since his advisors suggested he run for the next presidential election.”

“Wait. He’s running for president?” I gawk at her.

“He plans to. Though I doubt he has a chance at winning. Of course, he doesn’t see it that way. He thinks if he runs he’ll win, and I’m sure he’s already weighing it in his mind how his only child falling off the rails will affect his chances. That’s the only reason he came here tonight. He doesn’t care about me. He doesn’t care if I’m safe or happy. He only cares about how my actions reflect on him.”

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