It’s like Ripley and Anthony are holding a conversation without me being present, because I’m still working out what I want to say.
I reach out to brush my thumb across Ripley’s cheek, but she flinches and draws back.Her reaction tells me everything I need to know.
I step away, and Anthony comes toward us.“Can I get a look at the footage?We need to get the ball rolling.”
“Let’s go inside, and we can all check it out.”There’s no emotion in my voice because it’s all balled up, burning a hole in my chest.She flinched and stepped away.
I spin on the heel of my boot and lead the way through the garage and into the house.Anthony follows and Ripley trails behind him.In the kitchen, we wait while she sets up the laptop on the counter.It’s a model so ancient, I’m surprised it still works.
When she hitsPlay, we watch the screen in silence.First, me arguing with Brandy, and then Ripley skips forward.Anthony and I wince when the blow is delivered.
“Shit,” Anthony says under his breath.
I look at Ripley, whose face is even paler now than it was when she was in the driveway.“Who is that?”I ask.
Her voice is quiet when she replies.“My dad.”
9
Ripley
Both men gosilent after my confession, and I wonder what they’re thinking.Probablyhow could he hit a woman?
The answer I’ll never give?Easy.He’s been doing it for years.
They’re both staring at the screen when I hitPauseand step away.I wrap both arms around my middle.I feel like I’m being torn in two as I hand them the tool to destroy what’s left of my family, but I have no choice.Pop brought this on himself.For years, he’s gotten away with no consequences.Brandy too.Still, handing someone the hammer to nail the coffin shut after being loyal for so long is harder than I thought it would be.
I have no choice.Boone didn’t ask for any of this.My family tried to destroy his reputation, and all he did ...was be nice to me.
I’m a pariah.It’s time to wrap this up and get the hell away from Boone before I do any more damage.
“You can keep the laptop.I don’t need it right now.Show the police.You can show the media if you need to.”The words are rusty, as if my throat is trying to keep them in, but there’s no use.Pop made his bed, and now he has to lie in it.
Anthony turns to Boone.“I gotta make some calls right now.I got a buddy on the force, and even though he’s not working this case, he’ll be able to tell us exactly how we should go about bringing this in.We need to handle this right.”He gives us both a nod before striding away, leaving Boone and me alone.
I can barely bring myself to look him in the eye, but I find my spine and straighten my shoulders.
“I’m sorry doesn’t come close to being a decent apology, but it’s all I’ve got right now.You didn’t deserve any of it.And I’m so freaking sorry that my disaster of a family pulled you into our mess.You deserve so much better.”I swallow back the lump in my throat.“I’ll get Hope’s truck, and we’ll take Esteban as soon as we can.”
At his name, Esteban wakes in the living room.“Take me away.”
I take a step in his direction, but Boone’s fingers lock around my wrist.
“I’m not back with her.”
I swing my head around in his direction as he continues.
“If you saw the pictures from earlier, it was all a stunt by Amber.I didn’t have shit to do with it.She and I are done, Ripley.I swear it on my granddad’s grave.”
A spark of something unfamiliar grows in my mind, maybe hope, but I refuse to give it any fuel to grow.Regardless of whether he’s back with Amber, Boone and I are done.This can’t go anywhere.
“It doesn’t matter, Boone.My family—”
He tugs me back, never releasing his hold on me.“Your family isn’t you.You didn’t pick them.You didn’t do shit.They’ve treated you like crap for years and you’re still here, doing the right thing, but struggling with that family loyalty all the same.”
I shake my head.“You don’t understand.I have the world’s worst luck.If something can go wrong for me, it will.This is just one more example of why you need to stay far away from me.I’d never forgive myself if I dragged you down with me.”
With another swift tug, Boone brings me flush against his body, and I don’t have the emotional strength to fight it.If this is the last time I get to be close to him, I need to soak it up.I’ll drag out this memory when I’m alone, and remember what it was like to have someone like Boone care.