Page 42 of Her Ohio Old Flame

Her lips quivered, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “MacCready. It started just before the finals. I— I thought he wanted to help me get into the university.”

Zane froze, instinctively tightening his grip. A tidal wave of disbelief and confusion crashed over him. “What are you talking about?”

Asha shook her head and turned in his arms. Her hands trembled as she pressed them against his chest. “It seemed so innocent at first.” Her voice cracked. “Hugs after study sessions, rubbing my shoulders when I was bent over my books. I thought… I thought he cared, that he believed in me.”

Zane grew cold, the pieces of a puzzle he hadn’t even realized existed snapping into place. His mind reeled, trying to reconcile the man he’d admired with the predator Asha was describing.

“He was grooming you,” Zane said, his voice low, laced with fury he barely kept in check.

Asha flinched but nodded, her tears coming faster now. “I didn’t see it at first. I was so focused on school, on making my parents proud. He told me I was special. That I had a bright future. And then—” She buried her face in her hands.

Zane’s jaw tightened as he made fists at his sides. This was it—her secret, the reason she’d run from Peaceful, from him. The goddamn bastard. He wanted to roar, to throw something, to tear the man apart with his bare hands. But Asha’s pain kept him grounded, kept him focused.

“How far did he take it?” Zane’s voice shook with the effort it took to stay calm.

Asha sobbed harder, her words coming in fractured pieces. “He—he cornered me on prom night. I was returning from the bathroom, and he… he said I owed him for all the help, that I shouldn’t waste his efforts. When I said no, he—he wouldn’t stop…”

Zane closed his eyes, his breath hitching as a fresh wave of rage tore through him. His chest felt like it might explode, but he kept his grip on her steady, cradling the back of her head with his hand. “You didn’t owe him anything,” he said fiercely. “Not then. Not now. Never.”

Asha’s sobs quieted, but she still trembled in his arms. “I ran,” she whispered. “I ran, and I never looked back. I couldn’t—I couldn’t face anyone. Not after that.”

Zane’s stomach churned, and he ground his teeth as he forced himself to stay present. “That goddamn bastard,” he growled under his breath. “How many others, Asha? How many girls did he hurt the way he hurt you?”

Asha shook her head. “I don’t know,” she whispered, “but if he did it to me…”

The unspoken words hung between them, heavy and damning. Zane’s mind raced, the full weight of the revelation crashing over him. MacCready—the man he’d trusted, admired, respected—was a goddamn rapist. And the thought that others had suffered the way Asha had, that some might still be suffering, made his rage incandescent.

He tilted up her chin with his index finger, meeting her gaze, fierce with conviction. “You’re not alone anymore. We’re going to make this right. For you. For anyone else he’s hurt. I promise you, Asha.”

Her tears spilled over, but this time, she nodded, clutching his shoulders as if drawing strength from his words. Zane pressed his forehead to hers, his own tears threatening to fall as he whispered, “We’ll get through this. Together.”

Chapter Nineteen

The night had been restless, filled with the kind of silence that wasn’t comforting but heavy. Asha had cried again, her emotions raw and unfiltered, but Zane had held her through every shuddering sob. There had been no judgment in his touch, only unwavering support, and for the first time in years, she felt a flicker of relief. The secret she had carried for so long was no longer hers alone. Yet, even with the weight somewhat lifted, the fear lingered. What came next? Who would believe her? What would it cost to face her past head on?

As dawn broke, they rose early, skipping breakfast and packing up the cabin in efficient silence. The hike back to the car was a blur. Asha could hardly recall the path they took, her focus entirely on the resolve tightening in her chest. They needed to return to Peaceful, to confront this mess.

Zane drove back to Peaceful with his usual steady control, his hands firm on the wheel and his gaze unwavering as the car ate up the miles. Asha watched him, her chest warming with admiration and love. He didn’t simply drive; he commanded the road, every turn and acceleration smooth and deliberate. She marveled at his calm competence, and the way he carried theweight of her confession without flinching. The knot of fear and uncertainty in her stomach eased somewhat. She had told him everything, and he was still here.

She didn’t know what she had done to deserve him.

They reached the station as the town began to stir. The building stood solid and familiar, and though her nerves prickled, Asha drew strength from Zane’s presence.

He parked the car in his designated spot and turned to her. “Are you ready?”

“Not even a little.” She offered a weak smile. “But I’m still doing this.”

He leaned over to brush her fingers with his. “We’ll get through this.” He gripped her hand and squeezed it.

Inside the station, the smell of coffee and faint smoke lingered. Zane nodded at one of his crew members, a wiry man with sun-weathered skin, who approached with curiosity etched into his face.

“Chief,” the man greeted. “Did you hear about the fire out by the fisherman’s cabin? I can’t believe someone lit the teacher’s car and now his lodge?”

“We’re working on it.” Zane’s tone left no room for further questions. “In fact, Asha and I need to speak with Lou.”

The crew member raised a brow but nodded and stepped aside. Zane placed a hand on Asha’s back, guiding her toward Lou’s office. Her heart thudded with every step.

Lou Santana sat at his desk, scanning a set of reports with sharp eyes. His usually clean-shaven face was shadowed with stubble, and though his jaw was hard set, his crisp shirt and straight tie betrayed none of the weariness visible in his expression.

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