Page 110 of Eye of the Hurricane
“Not even a little,” she assures me. “We’ll be okay,” I can hear her car start and tires crunching the gravel of her driveway on the way out.
“I should go, I should drive so Roman can call and text Audra. You’ll be okay?” I ask.
“We’ll be okay, promise. See you in a few hours.”
“Okay, be safe, I- I’ll see you.” I hang up the phone and I don’t even have the time to unpack that I almost told her I love her.
Chapter 31
Katherine
I textAudra letting her know I’m here before I knock on her door to avoid scaring her. At least not any more than she already is.
She turns the knob and lets me in. She’s in a pair of shorts and what looks to be one of Roman’s hoodies. Her face is red and blotchy, cheeks are soaked in tears. None of that surprises me though, I knew what I would be walking into. What does surprise me is that when I walk in the room, she throws her arms around me.
“Thank you for coming,” she cries. I hug her back. “I’m really glad you’re here.” She releases me.
“Will you tell me about it?” I ask, turning and locking the front door behind us. “I only know pieces,” I remind her. She sniffles and nods.
I follow her into the living room where she curls into a ball in the corner of the couch. I take the seat directly next to her in case she decides she wants a shoulder to cry on, literally.
She walks me through the entire story, beginning to end. She tells me about how they met, how great things were to start, the first time he said something cruel to her, how first it was a shove, then a slap. She’s sobbing, and I’m crying with her.
She tells me how she finally left him and went to Ares’ house but only Roman was home, that he was following her, that Ares beat his ass at that bonfire I didn’t go to, and finally that they moved here and have been living in peace. Until tonight.
She shows me the letter.
Audra,
You’re naive to think there is anywhere you could go that I would not find you. I don’t want to hurt you, I’m not writing you to threaten you or your new boyfriend. I want you back. I have every intention of making that happen. By any means necessary.
Tyler
The last line makes my stomach turn.
“You’ve reported this, right? Like all of this?” I ask. She drops her head, facing the ground. Shit. “If you haven’t it’s okay, I just meant… You know youcanright?”
“No, I can’t. His family has money. He’s essentially untouchable by the system,” she sighs. It’s not often I have a reason to bring up my family’s money. I usually go out of my way to hide it. Now seems like one of those rare times I can pull the rich family card for good.
“We’ll see about that,” I scoff. “Do you trust me?” I ask. She gives me a slow and reluctant nod.
“Come on,” I tell her, standing from the couch. She stands, following me to the door. We lock up behind us. I sit down in the car and dial my father’s phone number.
“Dad, I need a huge favor,” I say as soon as he picks up.
“What is it, Katherine?”
“I have a friend, she’s got this ex-boyfriend, he’s really given her a lot of trouble. She can’t get a restraining order because of his family’s status. Is there someone you can talk to?” I ask.
“Sorry honey, I don’t have any connections like that in Charleston anymore.”
“We’re in Doves Harbor,” I tell him.
“Oh, well I may be able to help then. Are you heading to the police station now?” he asks.
“Yes, We’re in the car now.”
“And you’re certain this isn’t some couples fight? He really has hurt her?”
