Scandalous 2 by Ward H. M

Author:Ward, H. M. [Ward, H. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Suspense, Contemporary, Adult
ISBN: 9781482596700
Publisher: Laree Bailey Press
Published: 2013-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

JACK

As his brush slips over her skin, Jack hears Abby’s voice stick inside her throat. All these years and he never knew. That night, at their prom, Jack was with some other girl. When he cornered Abby after seeing that cut on her cheek, he knew what it was because he’d had a fist to the face a few times. He remembers the way she smiled, like nothing was wrong. Abby looked him in the eye that night and swore up and down that it was something stupid—a curling iron. But her face wasn’t burned. In the dark room, it was difficult to read her eyes. That was something that Jack was very proud of. He could look at Abby and know if she was telling him the truth. They finished each other’s sentences. But that night, he ignored what was in front of him, and then a few weeks later, he’d fuck it up so badly that Abby would disappear for ten years.

Jack stands and looks into her eyes. He can’t act like it doesn’t hurt her because he knows damn well that it does. Her voice shakes as she speaks, but her tone is too level, too apathetic. When she talks about her mother, Jack can’t stand it. How did he miss it? How didn’t he see? All those years when the two of them were out late, why didn’t it dawn on him that she didn’t want to go home?

He watches her for a moment, uncertain of how to handle this information. Part of him wants to rush off and bash her father’s face in, but the man is dead. When Abby says it, when she spills her confession, everything changes. There’s a fragile side to her that she’s kept hidden. Without a thought about his work, Jack throws his arms around her and pulls her to his chest.

Stroking the back of her head with his hands, he says soothing things in her ear. Finally, he says, “I’m sorry that I didn’t see it then. I wish I could take it away.”

Abby sniffles and laughs into his shoulder. “That’s funny. I think the same thing about you. There’s this painful look in your eyes and I have no idea why it’s there. Sometimes I think it’s my fault. Sometimes—”

Jack holds her tighter. “It’s never your fault. None of it.” It’s my fault. Every bit of it. Every time I saw you and ignored those bruises. Shit. Jack curses himself. “Abby, you’re my life. You’re safe with me. I promise you.” He pulls away and kisses the tears off her cheeks. Jack’s gaze takes in the streaked paint and the glassy eyes. Jack pats the canvas and Abby sits next to him. He lays back and she follows. They both look up at the ceiling. “I was a shitty friend back then.”

“No, you weren’t. You were a kid. Kids aren’t supposed to protect other kids from their parents. The world is fucked up, Jack. We both know that.

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