Marcus’s whole body stiffens. “I’ll be home in an hour and a half.”
“No!” he says, an echo to the scream in my heart. “Don’t come home. Just stay wherever the hell you are for a few days while we figure out what the fuck they want.”
But Marcus is already tugging his briefs up his legs. “I can’t hide out and hope it goes away. It’s not going to. I’ll see you in a while.”
He disconnects and looks at me. I can’t even imagine what my face looks like if it at all reflects the panic churning my insides into chaos. “It’s going to be fine,” he says.
And right then, I know he’s lying. He’s never used that word—the universal lie—with me through any of this, but now it’s bad enough that he’s got nothing else to fall back on.
He stands and untangles the pile of clothes on the floor, handing me mine. We dress silently and he ushers me to his truck.
“Is he right?” I ask as he drives. “Are they going to arrest you?”
He shoots me a glance. “I don’t know.”
So at least we’re being honest again. That’s something. I feel totally numb as he pulls up to the school and drops me at the curb. School got out an hour ago, but this is still the best place to drop me. The only thing that could make this worse is if Dad saw him here.
“You’ll be okay?” he asks me.
“I’ll be fine.” Just as much of a lie out of my mouth as his.
He pulls me against his chest and kisses me, one last slow, desperate kiss. “I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
I slide out of the truck and close the door. He looks at me a second longer before putting it in gear and pulling away. And as I watch his taillights disappear around the corner, in my heart, I know that’s the last of Marcus I’m going to see for a while.
The next morning, I call the Sam Hill office for Vicky. She’s the most direct pipeline I dare tap to Marcus. “Hey,” I say when she answers. “I think I left my favorite red sweater there. Did you find it on the hooks?” It’s a total lie. I’m wearing my red sweater, and it’s not my favorite.
“No, honey,” she answers. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. It probably got lost in the move, or maybe it’s at Aunt Becky’s.”
“We miss you here, Addie.”
I lay back on the hard slab that passes for my hotel mattress. “How is everything?”
“Haven’t hired your replacement yet, but everything here is mostly under control.”
“Marcus brought me my check,” I say, feeling my whole body tense. “Did he tell you he was coming here?”
“He told me he was going to try.” I hear her deep breath bluster through the connection. “He’s at the county jail, Addie. Seems like there’s a full-on witch hunt under-way.”
I’m frozen. The South Pole just opened up and swallowed me whole. I feel so cold, but I’m frozen too solid to shiver. “They arrested him?”
“They did. Last night.”
My stomach cramps. “How can they do this? Nothing happened with Corinne.”
“That’s not what she’s saying.”
“But she’s full of shit,” I spit.
“Listen, Addie. I know you and Marcus are close, but I think, for his sake, it might be best if you just lay low and let him ride this out.”
I know she’s right, but staying away from Marcus is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. “Thanks, Vicky.” I try to sound like my whole world isn’t caving in all around me. “If you see my sweater, hold onto it for me.”
I disconnect and curl into a ball onto my bed.
The only thing I can do to help Marcus is the one thing I’m not sure I can bear. But I have no choice.
Chapter 25
Marcus
They held me for two days while we waited on my preliminary hearing and arraignment. Bail was set at fifty thousand. Vicky fronted the deposit for the bondsman and they sprung me a week ago pending trial. I appreciate her effort, but to me, it feels like I never left jail. Because if I want to get through this, I can’t see Addie.
The last place I want to be right now is at the courthouse, but there’s also nowhere else I can be.
Blaire is here talking to the District Attorney about what happened with Nate, and I promised her she wouldn’t go through this alone.
I’m waiting on the marble steps in front of the ancient brick building, bundled against the November chill, when Blaire and Caiden arrive.
She rushes into my arms and I crush her in a bear hug. “Hey. You okay?”
She draws away and her eyes are red-rimmed and terrified. “No. Caiden had to talk me off a ledge to get me out of the car.”
I tug her back to my shoulder. “I’m here, Caiden’s here. You’re so not alone in this, Blaire.”
“I know,” she says, squeezing my waist tighter. “You’re the best.”
Again, I feel regret take a bite out of my stomach. Because I’m not the best. I let her down. If I had been looking out for her, none of us would be here right now.