“I’m not trying to come between you, I just want to be honest with you. Women like you, you get ideas about men like Blake. That they’ll marry you, that they’ll leave their families for you.” Bel stood up, looming over her. “But they won’t.”
Erin tried to stand, but Bel was blocking her with her body—and was surprisingly strong for her thin frame. The older woman clamped a hand on her wrist.
And just like that night all those years ago, Erin was too shocked to fight her off. “Let go of me,” she whispered.
Bel twisted her fist, sending pain down Erin’s arm. “When push comes to shove, they don’t want you. They want me. Women like you are just good for a fuck.”
But Erin wasn’t sixteen anymore. She was a grown woman, and she was strong, and she wouldn’t cower and let herself be hurt even if she would be rejected by the man she loved in the end.
She yanked herself free, sending Bel sprawling on her knees. “I said let go of me,” she said with remarkable calm. “And don’t ever speak to me that way again.”
Blake appeared in the doorway. “What the hell did she say?”
As Erin looked from Bel on the floor to Blake and Jeb standing in the doorway, shocked, she couldn’t even speak. It was too awful. She was too much the outsider here. Too much like Bel had described.
She started to leave, pushing past Blake.
He caught her wrist, and she winced.
His eyes widened. “Did she hurt you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, her voice too wobbly to be believed. “I just want to go. I need to…”
“How dare you.” He practically roared at his mother. “How dare you put your hands on her. How dare you even speak to her.”
His mother didn’t stand up, barely even looked up. Wouldn’t meet his eyes. “She… she…”
“She doesn’t exist to you. Not anymore. And neither do I.” Blake turned to her, his expression like stone. “Go upstairs and pack. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”
He was going to continue defending her, and judging by the dark look in his eyes, it was going to be awful. Awful enough to ruin any chance of reconciliation between him and his parents. Even if he didn’t mind that thought now, he might eventually. She wouldn’t be responsible for that. She couldn’t.
“Please,” she begged. “Come with me. Take me away from here.”
Jeb stepped forward, his eyes somber. “Take care of her. She’s the most important. Your mother and I will have words.”
Blake looked torn. He gently pushed a piece of hair out of Erin’s eyes. “She can’t treat you that way.”
“I didn’t let her,” Erin said. Her voice grew stronger. “I stood up for myself, but now I just want to go.”
He took her in his arms, careful as if he knew she might be sore. And she was, though more in her heart, than from anywhere his mother had touched. “My beautiful, brave girl. Let’s go. Let’s get you out of here.”
*
BLAKE DROVE WITHOUT any idea where he was going.
Their original plan had been to spend one more night at his parent’s house. Then they’d head to Erin’s mother’s house in the morning. Instead they’d hastily packed their bags and tossed them in the trunk. It was nine o’clock at night, and he was barreling down the highway without a plan.
It occurred to him that he might not be in a good frame of mind to drive. He saw the road, but it was mostly a blur. A dark blur. Well, he wasn’t about to ask Erin to drive—not after she’d been berated and insulted. Not after she’d been fucking assaulted.
God, he still couldn’t believe his mother had gone that far.
It was despicable. It was unforgivable. It was a wonder Erin had even gotten in a car with him after what he’d subjected her to, but then again, it had been the fastest way out of that house. Had he lost her now? Had he really managed to fuck up the best thing in his life with one small, final act of loyalty to a family that didn’t deserve it? He should never have brought her for a visit.
He found himself pulling off on a familiar exit. He’d driven this way so many times that it felt like second nature, even though it had been years now. The manicured plots and bright storefronts quickly gave way to a dark, tree-lined road. It might even be spooky if he didn’t know how cheery the dappled black concrete and yellow stripes looked in the daylight.
He had no idea what Erin thought about this turn of events. She hadn’t spoken much since they’d left, just a few nods and murmurs when required.
“Away,” had been her answer, when he’d asked her where she wanted to go.
He didn’t like the idea of driving to Sophia’s house tonight. For one thing, it would take a few hours, so they’d be exhausted by then. For another, Sophia wasn’t expecting them, so it might inconvenience her. And lastly, he didn’t want to force Erin to confront her mother when she seemed somehow fragile. He knew they were close—definitely nothing like his relationship with his parents—but this particular issue hit a little close to home.