Chapter 19 #2
As I reach the top of the stairs and head to my room, I look over the railing and down into the courtyard. Rain spills silently, watering the garden below, the shadows of the corridors around the perimeter empty and dark.
I approach my classroom door. “Anna-Katherine?”
I reach for the light switch, but she stops me. “Can you leave it off?” she calls out.
Again, her voice is deeper than usual. Sterner.
Glancing into the reading nook, I see her hand move, the small flame of a candle glowing across her face. She lies on the couch, facing me with her other hand tucked under her head.
Leaving the overhead light off, I walk to her, taking in the same clothes she was wearing earlier. Jean pedal pushers with a black-and-white striped T-shirt, saddle shoes, and a pale pink ribbon in her hair.
“You’re safe,” I say.
But as I stand there, I realize I don’t know what to do. I thought I’d be fighting someone when I got here or rescuing her from something, but the place is quiet, including her.
I never had to deal with the kids at home.
“There’s…hot cocoa in the teacher’s lounge,” I broach. “Lemonade, tea?”
“Can I have some of your bourbon?”
She knows I keep bourbon in my desk? Shit.
I know I shouldn’t. I don’t care, of course—I’ve been drinking half my life—but it’s different with her. She’s not a student, but she is still only twenty. And Callum’s sister, and he’d love any reason to have me arrested.
I don’t think this is Anna-Katherine, though, and I’ve never met Sophia.
Fuck him.
I make my way over to my desk and pull open the drawer, plucking out the bottle and mug. As I pour a few fingers, I text Army.
In my classroom.
The police have keys. He shouldn’t have a problem unless someone follows him here.
Heading back to Sophia, I watch her sit up, her back against the arm of the couch. I hold out the mug.
She slouches and sips, her eyes downcast, tears glistening on her lashes. Ice starts to cover my insides as I wait to hear what I know is coming, but part of me doesn’t want to.
It feels awkward fucking standing here, but no one talks to me about personal things. I’ve seen Army comfort Dex and Liv hold Clay when her parents’ divorce became final and she shed a few tears. I don’t do hugs.
Sliding down, I plant my ass on the floor, leaning back into the couch. I glance at her over my shoulder, just waiting.
She called me for a reason. Should I try to get her out of here?
In a moment, though, I hear her voice. “We went for pizza,” she says just above a whisper. “I like Fiore’s. They have a window where the kids can watch them make everything.”
Her voice is raspy, and I don’t know how long she’s been crying.
“What”—I swallow the lump in my throat—“kind did you get?”
“Spicy salami,” she whispers, “with mushrooms and arugula.”
Yuck.
“What did Callum get?” I ask, but my heart skips a beat. I don’t know if I should bring him up at all.
She replies quickly, though. “He said it was too many carbs.” She grips the mug in both hands, her knees bent up to her chest. “He always eats my leftovers, though.”
“What happened then?”
Sipping a little more bourbon, she opens her mouth, but it closes again as she frowns. “We went home,” she says. “He had to make some calls, and Milo…”
“Milo was with you?”
Air suddenly pours into my lungs.
She licks her lips. “He said I was going to get into trouble for the windows.”
I lift my eyes, her beautiful work changing the view outside with every color.
“And then?” I press.
“He said the dean would spank me,” she explains.
I lock my jaw. Spank her?
Panic rises in her voice. “And I know they still do that here, if they have the parents’ permission, they can—”
“Anna—”
“But he said if I let him do it,” she rushes out, sobs starting again, “he’d go easier and we could get it out of the way.”
She cries into my mug, and if she tells me he laid a fucking hand on her, I’ll kill him. That motherfucker should’ve been fed to the swamp four years ago.
I blink long and hard. “Did he touch you?”
She struggles to take in little breaths as she stifles her tears. “He…he started to undo my pants…”
Breaking into tears again, she loses her grip, and I grab the mug before she spills it.
“Why won’t people leave me alone?” she begs. “I didn’t think men were going to be like this.”
“They’re not men.” I turn around again and swallow the rest of the liquor.
But the guilt creeps in. How many times have I flirted with wording to get someone to do what I wanted? I called it teasing or seduction or playing, but then I never saw them go home and face themselves. I didn’t think about it after we were done, so I never thought they did, either.
Callum was the only one who really got into my head. At least, given the minimal amount I let him talk.
“Where was Callum?” I ask her.
She lies back down, tucking her hands under her head. “In his father’s office,” she tells me. “I ran before he came back out. Walked around for a while, to the park and stuff.”
I exhale, grateful he wasn’t to blame. I wish he was, but I’m also relieved.
She sniffles. “He’s going to be so mad I ran away.”
I stand up. “I’m gonna make him mad at me instead, so don’t worry.”
Taking the cup back to the drawer, I put away the bottle and return to Sophia, squatting down to eye level. “I want to talk to your brother tonight. Will you sleep over at my house?”
I think I hear footfalls on the stairs, and I’m tempted to clean the tears from her face, but I’m not going to touch her. Hanging my arms over my knees, I lock my hands together. “I have brothers and sisters, and there are kids, and no one will hurt you.”
She shakes her head, whispering, “You can’t promise that.”
I go silent, only beginning to imagine what’s happened to her to think there’s danger everywhere now.
“I can,” I state. “People are too afraid of my oldest brother to mess with our women. Is it okay if I pick you up right now?”
She doesn’t move for a moment, but then she nods.
Approaching her slowly, I slide my hands under her body and lift her up, turning to see Army in the doorway.
I nod at him. “This is one of my brothers,” I tell her.
She’s so light. I don’t think she’s underweight, but she might be close. Could she be keeping her weight down on purpose? Anna-Katherine wants to be seen as a child.
She looks at my brother, dressed in his uniform, and he looks like he wants to talk to me, but I shake my head.
“You trust me?” I ask her.
She looks down.
“Will you trust me?” I try to catch her eye.
Finally, she whispers, “Okay.”
I lift my gaze to my brother. “Take her to the Bay, please.”
I hand her gently into his arms, and I’m sure he’s wondering why she can’t walk to his car.
“Tell Krisjen to put her to bed.” Then I look at Sophia. “You know Krisjen Conroy.”
Her eyes light up, and Sophia is back. “She’s there?”
Her voice is light again.
“So is Clay Collins,” I assure her. “She’s gonna marry my sister.”
She smiles and wraps her arms around Army’s neck.
He just tilts his head at me, glaring, albeit softly. “Ames won’t like this,” he mouths.
“I’m counting on it.”
I dig my pocketknife out of my track pants and hold it up. “This is for you, Anna-Katherine.”
I demonstrate how to open and close it as she watches. She flashes a small smile and takes it, wrapping her fist around it.
Army gives me a scolding look, like he’s not entirely sure she won’t slit all our throats in our sleep.
Only the monsters.
He starts to leave.
“If anyone asks,” I call out, “this is where Anna-Katherine is.”
He glances back at me.
“And where I am,” I say.
Hopefully, he gets out of here before anyone sees him put her in his car, but if anything comes over his radio, I want them to come.
Leaving the lights off, I pour another shot of bourbon. I drink it down and move to the windows, turning off my phone and peering out of Anna-Katherine’s vibrant colors to the lot below.
I don’t want Callum trying to call me if he hears where I am and is looking for her. That cop I passed earlier saw me, and if he didn’t pursue, it means he has instructions to let someone else.
I’m not breaking the law as long as I stay inside. And there are plenty of places to hide in this school.
The rain pours, the minutes tick by, and I’ve almost gone to lie down on the couch when I see them.
Three figures stepping out of the trees.