Page 76 of Girl Violence

He chuckles. “Seems hard to believe, doesn’t it? That I’m not a selfish prick like you all think I am. Alyssa told me a few times that Ian has a habit of slipping little pills into drinks.”

“You think he spiked me?”

“Or was about to. I went back there. Overheard Alyssa laughing with her friends, saying they had a bedroom waiting for you. But Ian fucked it all up because he couldn’t control himself.” Josette’s stomach twists with sickness. Oh shit. “So, if you don’t tell Vince, I will. I know what he wanted to do to you that night.”

Josette looks at Vince quickly. But it’s too late. His skin has turned red with fury, his lips pressed together. She doesn’t need to tell him anything. Jason’s said enough to trip the bomb.

A beep comes from his pocket, and he reaches inside, pulling out his phone. After reading whatever he was sent, he tucks it back inside and starts walking toward her. “We need to go.”

“Go where?” she questions, the panic coming back as he takes her arm and starts pulling her. She looks back, seeing Jason follow. “Are we going to the wake?”

“No.”

“But what about the storm?” Josette says, a quiver in her voice. “It’s a red alert.” Vince says nothing, and she tugs against him, knowing what will happen. “No, Vince—you can’t.”

“Try and fucking stop me!” he shouts at her, grabbing both her arms. Josette cringes with fear. She’s seen him lose it in the past, but she’s never seen him like this. “I don’t give a shit what you want right now. He doesn’t get to do this and walk away. I’m not okay with him putting his hands on you just like I wasn’t years ago. I’m not okay with what the sick fuck had planned for you. Do you think this will be the last time?”

“What... what are you going to do?” she questions as he pulls her out of the graveyard and toward his car parked along the curb. Tears burn her eyes. “Vince?”

Ignoring her, he unlocks the car and opens the passenger side. “Get in.”

“Stop saving me,” she begs and looks at Jason for help. But he shakes his head.

“I’m not going to tell you again. Get in. Now.”

Letting out a frustrated breath, knowing he won’t stop until she does, Josette storms over to the car. “You’re an asshole!”

“I sure am.” She gets in and jumps when he slams the door on her. As she clips her belt, she glares as Vince circles the front of the car. Finally, he gets in next to her, pulling the keys out of his pocket. The back door opens next, and Jason gets in the back.

“Is everything ready?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Vince replies as he fires up the engine and speeds down the road.

Josette crosses her arms and looks out the window with fear and anxiety. She doesn’t know what they’re talking about. They probably won’t tell her if she asks. Let her in on their plan. Not that she wants to know.

Josette guesses she’s the one who’s the coward. Maybe Ian won’t stop. All her recent problems have been because of him. But this could all end badly. She knows Vince didn’t mean to shout at her. He’s hurt right now. She can see it behind all the anger in his eyes. Something she’s always been able to see.

Back when they were kids, he’d get angry instead of upset whenever he was hurt. He wouldn’t cry. He’d break things and swear a lot—like his dad. But he was never like that with her. He always told her what was wrong. Always told her the raw truth, no matter how difficult it was to say. It’s how they were so close back then and why they aren’t now.

Because they’ve both shut themselves down. They both got used to hiding and stopped letting people in. And Josette knows she must let him in or lose him. Even if it’s too late and the damage has been done.

“Jenna had a fight with Austin that night,” she’s suddenly speaking before she realises it. But she can’t stop now. “He dragged her out of the room, and I was about to follow when Ian grabbed me from behind. He told me to leave them alone and wouldn’t let go even though I told him to.” Josette’s heart starts racing, and Vince stays quiet. “He started saying things about me being a tease, and when I tried to push him away, he pushed me back into the wall. Then Tyler came over, and I tried to walk away, but they both blocked me in. No one could see.” Tears splash down her cheeks, and her chest tightens. “I was about to call you, but Tyler took my phone, and Ian started kissing me. I... I told him to stop, and he wouldn’t. He started touching me and put his hand down my underwear.” Her nails dig into her thighs. “He tried to... put his fingers inside me, but Tyler stopped him before he did. Maybe because I was in a room full of witnesses and not in that bedroom Jason was talking about, I don’t know. All I know is that he got pissed and started yelling at Tyler. That’s when I ran.” She pauses to swallow. “I should have known something wasn’t right when he called me Josie. You’re the only one who calls me that. You walked through the door right after it happened, and I wanted to run to you, but I was scared and humiliated. And then I saw Rosie behind you. I saw that she called you that day, and yeah, I was paranoid and jealous. You can give out to me for breaking my promise, but you’ve made it hard not to fall for you. Especially when I already fell years ago.”

When she finishes, she presses her lips together and breathes out sharply. Did she just say that?

Oh God, she did. And with Jason in the car with them.

Josette looks down at her hands and sees they’re shaking. Her entire body is. Before she’s about to have a breakdown in his car, Vince grabs her hand and weaves his fingers through hers.

He squeezes, and she squeezes back.

It’s enough to anchor her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers. Josette doesn’t know what will happen between them, but she needs him to know. “I never meant for it to get this far.”

“I know,” he says as he swerves into a parking space and stops the car. He turns off the engine and turns to look at her. He wants to say something, she knows he does, but his eyes flicker to Jason, who breathes a laugh.

“Don’t mind me.”

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