I scoff at myself in the mirror. What the hell am I even thinking? I can't let this go any further. I'm a convicted rapist, for fuck's sake.
I can't bring her down into my world no matter what I feel toward her. I'll just go out there and tell her to leave. She'll assume I didn't like it and go.
My chest tightens at the thought, but it has to be done.
After another deep breath, I open the door, ready to stalk out there and be an asshole.
But Remi is standing there on the other side of the door with her mouth hanging open.
CHAPTER 14
Remi
Virgin. Virgin. Virgin. That word keeps going through my head as I stare back at Jacob's wary face. My mouth opens and closes a few times. Oh my god.
I came over here to apologize for kissing him, thinking I went too far and feeling all sorts of messed up about it.
But then I heard him talking to himself.
Virgin.
The only way that can be true . . .
“You didn't do it,” I gasp, putting the pieces together. It all makes so much sense now. “You didn't do it!”
My breathing gets labored, the realization weighing heavily on my chest. An overwhelming rush of emotions fill my body as I come to terms with what that means. Not only the unnecessary guilt I've been agonizing over for feeling anything for him but of what it means for him.
I turn away from him, walk the short distance to the kitchen, and grasp onto the counter for support. Tears start prickling at the backs of my eyes.
“This whole time, you were innocent. You were innocent, and they sent you to prison for ten years.”
“I know,” he huffs out, taking a few steps into the room. “I fucking know.”
I watch as both of his hands slide over his face and then move to the back of his neck to squeeze the tension probably building there.
I just, I can't believe it.
They sent an innocent man to prison.
He lost his parents.
He lost his friends.
He didn't die, but he did lose his life.
A sob rips from my chest, and I feel almost like I might hyperventilate.
“Hey, don't do that,” Jacob says, now facing me. “Don't cry.” He shuffles his feet beneath him, looking like he wants to comfort me, but years of being treated like a vile piece of shit has conditioned him to keep his distance.
I close the space between us instead, gripping him in a fierce hug. His body stiffens beneath my touch and his hands hang in the air for a moment, not knowing where to settle. Eventually, when I don't let go but rather bury my face deeper into him as the tears flow, his arms circle around to rest on my back, pulling me closer.
“Don't cry,” he repeats softly. “I've never been able to handle seeing it.”
“I can't help it,” I mumble into his chest.
His wholelifehas been ruined, and he didn't do a damn thing. This townhateshim, having judged him with no option of redeeming himself in their eyes. Oh god, they do all those horrible things to him, and he doesn't deserve even an ounce of it.
I pull back slightly to look up at him. His face is blurry through my tears, but I still see him in a new light.