“Until I was eleven.” Despite what Liam said, I still didn’t consider the later stuff to be as much his fault. I definitely wasn’t telling them about that.
“I don’t understand,” my mom cried out. “How? How did he do that to you for so long without us knowing? It doesn’t make sense.”
My dad’s fury faded, sadness etching deep lines in his face instead. “All those dinners and holidays...we were right there. Right the hell there! You could have come to us. Why?—”
“Enough!” Liam growled, stopping him.
I still heard his blame, though, loud and clear. My heart shattered, a sob tearing out of its remnants. I felt so little andhelpless again. “Even when youwerethere, it didn’t matter!” I cried. “And you left me alone with him, too.” Memories assailed me, shudders running through me. The loneliness and shame when they were there, the fear when I was alone, all the long terrifying nights, worrying and waiting for him.
My mom raised her hands and dropped them into her lap. “We had to work! Gloria and John were our friends, and Brian was just a kid himself. We left you with them so you’d be safe. If you’d only told us...”
“I did tell you! Twice! And you didn’t believe me. You accused me of being jealous! You still made me see him.”
“You asked to see him! You went out of your way to be with him. That’s why it didn’t make any sense when you were so mad at him.”
“It...” I had to swallow the lump in my throat before I could get any more words out. “It was complicated.” I straightened. Even if it was my fault for going along with it, I’d never regret protecting Tyler. “He threatened Ty. That’s why I had to…spend time with him.”
My mom clapped a hand over her mouth. “He molested Tyler too?”
My body jerked at the ugly word.Molested.
“I don’t think so. I tried…I tried to stop him. I think I did.”
My mom’s shoulders collapsed, the fight draining out of her.
My dad growled. “How?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.
“Jenna, what did you have to do to stop him?”
“Roger,” Liam warned.
My dad shot to his feet. “I’m going to kill that bastard!” Then, before I could react, he stormed out of the house.
“Stop him!” I yelled to Liam. “He’s going to hurt Brian and get in trouble. Or Brian will hurt him.”
“I got it, Firefly.” He ran out of the house, too.
A second too late, I realized he was more likely to help my dad kill Brian than to stop him. I chased after them.
My dad was pounding on their door as I sprinted across the street. John opened it, and my dad grabbed him by the collar, pushing him against the door and into the house. “Do you know what your son did?”
“Roger, what’s going on?”
Ignoring him, he bellowed into the house. “Brian!”
“Dad!” I’d never seen him like this, not even close.
Liam stood there, just watching, then he snagged me with an arm around my waist before I made it onto the first step.
“Where is he?” My dad shook John, slamming him against the door. They were similar in size, but Dad had rage on his side, and John looked bewildered. “Brian!” he shouted again. “Get out here, you fucking pervert!”
Oh God, the look on John’s face. I didn’t want this. “Dad, stop!” Tears streamed down my face, and I tried to get to him, but Liam held me back.
“He’s not here, John,” Gloria said, walking over calmly. “He’s not at his house either, and he’s not coming back.”
How…