“She was not unharmed.” Her mother’s lips pressed into a thin line.
“Actually I was. Jayden came into the room before that red Were raped me. Jayden killed him.”
“But…” For once her mother was at a loss for words.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” her father demanded.
“You never gave me the chance. I tried to, but you both said you didn’t want to hear anything I had to say. I knew that night I was dead to you.” Her voice wavered.
“Haley, this means you can still marry Anthony. And you can come home to Louisiana.” Haley’s mother’s face brightened immediately with relief.
“Yes. Go get your things and we’ll leave immediately. I’ll call the dean and have him transfer your records back to LSU first thing tomorrow.”
Haley stiffened. And then she pushed his hands away and walked right up to her parents.
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“No. You can come home.” Her mother smiled.
“I tell you what you can do. You can both get in your car and go home. And don’t bother trying to contact me again. If you do, I’ll talk to Barrett and have him put a restraining order on you, barring you both from ever entering the state of Arkansas again.”
“Haley Guthrie, don’t you dare talk to us that way. We’re your parents,” her father snarled.
She shook her head, her face pale and eyes disbelieving. “No, you’re not. Not anymore.” She walked past them, and Barrett and his Guardians parted, letting her through the living room.
“Don’t you do this, Haley. There are no more second chances,” her mother called out in desperation.
Haley turned. All eyes on her. She looked straight at her mother.
“You’re exactly right, Mother.”
#
The room erupted into chaos as Haley walked out the door.
Jayden was threatening to beat her father’s ass. Braxton was trying to keep Jayden from getting within hitting range of the dad, and Damon was looking like he was ready to jump in and get his punches in after Jayden. Even Granny and Ava ganged up on her mother, telling her what a poor excuse she was for a parent.
Barrett blew out a breath just as his phone rang. He reached in his pocket and headed into the living room to answer it.
“Hang on. I can’t hear a fucking thing.” Barrett headed into the back yard.
“Okay. What do you have for me?” Barrett strained to hear what Jaxon was telling him. He frowned as he repeated the information back to him.
He hung up.
He ran into the house and yelled. Everything went quiet.
“Damon, go check and see if CODIS has a hit,” Barrett commanded.
Damon hurried out without a word.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Jayden turned his attention to him.
“Jaxon called. He said there was a picture taken of a guy who tried to enter that building this morning where Haley’s account was hacked.”
“And?”
“And he’s running the tags on the car.” Barrett looked around the room. “Where is Haley?”
“I thought she went out to the backyard.” Jayden paled.
“No. I just came from out there.”Jayden hurried out the front door. A few second later Damon entered the kitchen with a paper in his hand.
“CODIS has a hit.” Damon held out the paper.
Barrett snatched the paper and looked down. He blinked.
“You look like you know him, Barrett?” Braxton slid closer
“This isn’t possible.” Barrett shook his head.
“Who is it?” Damon glanced down at the photo.
“It’s the guy that tried to rape Haley.” Barrett looked up. “But Jayden said he killed him.”
Jayden ran back into the house. “She’s gone.”
Jayden look around at everyone. “What is it? Has there been a hit?”
Barrett nodded and held out the picture of the attempted rapist.
Jayden’s eyes grew wide and he shook his head. “That’s impossible. I killed him. I broke his neck.”
#
Hot tears burned her cheek as Haley ran down the sidewalk. She needed to get away from all the hurt and pain her parents had caused her.
Humiliated and embarrassed, she just wanted to hide from everyone and everything. She glanced behind her slightly shocked and pained that Jayden hadn’t run after her.
She slowed down when she got to the corner and wrapped her arms around her stomach.
She turned the corner.
“Haley!”
She froze as a truck pulled up to the corner.
“Mark. What are you doing here?” She walked over to his window.
“Hey, are you okay?” His concerned voice helped her relax.
“Yeah. I was just out for a walk.” She wiped the tears from her cheek and glanced away. “What are you doing here?”
“Dana’s been trying to call you. She really needs to talk to you.”
“What’s wrong?” Her stomach lurched.
“She wouldn’t tell me. She said she only wanted to talk to you.”
“Okay. Let me go back to the house and tell everyone where I’m going.” She stepped back
“Jump in and I’ll drive you down, then we’ll go over to Dana’s.” He reached across the truck and opened the side door.