“I’ve been in love with Brock since the first moment I saw him. I was only fourteen. He was already over thirty. I knew it was wrong, but he was so nice to me. He had come home for his grandmother’s funeral. We’d just moved into the same gated community where his family lived.”
She pauses and takes another deep breath. “He was in a black suit, and I was so awkward. I hated my life. I wanted out. The only time he came near me that time was at the wake after the funeral. He cornered me in the pantry.”
Her voice goes wistful, distant. “I wanted him to kiss me. I looked up at him, and he just stared for a moment. Then he leaned down. Instead of kissing my lips, he kissed my forehead and thanked me for helping.”
A sob breaks from her. “I was broken. My life was not my own already, and he’d basically told me I was not his type then and there. But he didn’t stop. Brock came home off and on for the next couple of years. I heard his brother say once that he had never been home as much as he was then. At eighteen he left, went to college, joined the military, and then worked away from the family.”
Her sobs continue as a memory hits her hard. I reach across the center console and take her hand. Gurgi leans forward, resting his head on her shoulder.
“The last time I saw him before last night was my sixteenth birthday. He kissed me on the forehead and then again before leaning down to whisper in my ear. I still remember his warm breath against the shell of my ear. He said, ‘Be a good girl, Snow, and someday a man will love you the way you need.’ It broke my heart.”
She sniffles. “Two months later, my life went completely sideways, and I ran. I never saw him again until now.”
“Didn’t he say he set someone to protect you?”
She scoffs. “Sure, he did.”
“Are you going to be okay?” I squeeze her hand.
She turns to look at me, and I slow down a bit so I can see her better in the budding light of day.
“I slept with him,” she says. “I gave him the one thing I’ve protected for years. Since the moment he told me a man would love me like I needed.”
I decide to share with her too. “I slept with Atlas. It felt so right, and I didn’t have any problems or episodes with him.”
She squeezes my hand. “Maybe you’re getting better.”
“Why did you run away?” It’s been the one thing I’ve always wanted to know.
“I was tired of being beaten every day. My stepbrother was going to rape me next with his best friend. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Oh, dear God. Your parents didn’t stop it?”
“How could they? My mother wouldn’t do anything because it would mean giving up her fat bank account and spa days. My stepdad didn’t care. He was too focused on his law firm.”
“Fuck.”
“You can say that again.”
We keep driving until we cross the border into Arkansas. We spend the night in a motel after ditching the truck for another large one. The gas is going to suck, but with Gurgi, we can’t downsize to a sedan.
Titan
* * *
My arm slides across the sheets, and I feel the coolness. I jolt awake as my bedroom door is busted open. Only a few people can break into my space, but that doesn’t stop me from jumping up with a gun aimed at Cronus.
“What the fuck?”
“They ran. Both of them. Your girl must have talked Maisy into leaving me.”
I consider his words and think about all the hugging they did the night before.
“Doubt it. They had it planned before we even headed in here. How did they get past the guards?”
“Maisy told Poseidon she was looking for food for the dog when he asked her what she was up to. He didn’t think anything of it when Poison came out with that beast.”
“Fuck,” I exclaim as I drop my gun.