Show Me the Way (Fight for Me #1)(35)

The bastard didn’t even recognize me.

I pressed a hand over my mouth, trying to keep back the cry that clamored up my throat, just standing there, staring at him.

Unable to move.

Paralyzed.

Frozen by shock.

By fear.

By hatred.

“You okay, beautiful?” he asked as if he had the capacity to care.

I wished with all of me I had the strength to slap him across the face. Or maybe spit in it. Scream at him to go to hell, right where he belonged.

Instead, I stood there staring at him in terrified disbelief.

He started to reach for me, and I finally snapped out of my stupor. I frantically smacked his hand away as I stumbled back. Fighting tears, I broke away and rushed for my Cherokee. I fumbled with the key, hands shaking so badly I could barely get it into the lock. Another rush of dizziness swept through me, a violent storm, taking me under.

I could barely haul myself into the driver’s seat.

Nausea whirled.

I slammed the door and locked it, hands squeezing on the steering wheel. I fought the urge to shift my truck into drive, tuck tail, and run.

He was there.

He is here.

Bile climbed my throat when Aaron looked back over his shoulder at me. He shook his head as if I were insane then turned and continued down the sidewalk as if it meant nothing at all, as my mind was jerked back to the days I’d do anything to forget.

Rynna - Twelve Years Old



I grinned eagerly, excitement blazing through my nerves. I couldn’t believe I’d been invited.

Something about this felt special. As if things were finally gonna change. I hated being left out. Gramma said it was just because I was too shy, but I wasn’t so sure.

I threaded my fingers together and set them on my lap where I sat with my legs crisscrossed on Janel’s bedroom floor.

We’d made a circle.

The circle.

My eyes made a pass over the faces: Kimberly, Sarah, Ben, Kerry, Janel, and Aaron.

Aaron.

Butterflies stormed my belly and sweat slicked my palms.

Aaron.

I kept glancing at him, wishing I was sitting right next to him, but I was too nervous to make the move.

But at least I was there. That was all that mattered.

A dim light glowed from a bedside lamp, but otherwise, the lights were off.

Janel set the bottle in the middle of the circle.

Kerry giggled. “This game is so stupid.” But she was peeking at Ben when she said it, and I wondered if she was as nervous as I was. If everyone was.

Janel cleared her throat, and I thought no. Janel was never scared.

“Okay, these are the rules,” Janel said. “When you spin the bottle, whoever it lands on, you have to kiss them for three seconds.” Her voice dropped with the scandalous challenge. “On the lips.”

“Even if it’s a girl?” Kimberly asked.

Janel huffed. “Isn’t that what I said?”

“Ewww.” Sarah kicked her feet and violently shook her head.

“Stop being a baby,” Janel said, eyeing her hard. “You said you wanted to come, so you have to play by my rules.”

Janel was the leader. She’d always been. Me and Janel had known each other forever. Janel’s momma worked at the diner with my gramma, so we were together a lot. Of course, that didn’t mean I got invited to things like this.

Janel spun the bottle first. It landed on Sarah. Janel crawled over and kissed her on the lips. Everyone counted to three. Janel sat back. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Sarah pressed her hand over her mouth. “I don’t think I want to kiss anyone.”

Janel glanced at Kimberly with a roll of her eyes. “I told you she wasn’t cool enough.”

Janel set her gaze on me. “How about you?”

The nod of my head was emphatic, my nerves abuzz.

“Good. You’re next.”

Was it possible my belly could move all the way to my throat? Clumsily, I spun the bottle. It landed on Kimberly. I squeezed my eyes closed when I leaned across the circle and kissed her, a peck to the lips. It wasn’t so bad. But that wasn’t who I wanted to kiss.

And I felt so shaky, my heart fluttery and funny while we spun and spun, continually taking turns.

Aaron spun the bottle again. The bottle spun and wobbled until the top of the neck finally pointed at me. Those butterflies smacked their wings, my stomach wild.

Aaron started to lean across the circle. Janel set her arm out in front of him. “I think you two should do this in private. In the closet.”

My eyes grew wide. “But—”

“My house, my rules, remember?”

I climbed to my feet, suddenly feeling sweaty as I glanced down at my body then at Aaron’s when he reluctantly stood. Janel hopped to her feet. “This way.”

I followed her across her room to the closet. Janel opened the door. “Get in.”

It was dark inside, and for a second, I hesitated. Everything felt wrong and funny, the warnings my gramma had always given me about being smart and if something felt off, it probably was. To trust my gut.

I ignored it. I had finally been invited and I wasn’t going to mess this up. I stepped inside, waiting for Aaron to step in with me, but then Janel laughed so loud a shudder rolled through me just as the door slammed shut in my face.