Furious, I slammed the top of the laptop closed, doing my best to hold back my tears. “It’s over. Everything I worked for, my anonymity, it’s all done.”
“It’s a rag, Lucy.”
Drake was trying to remain calm, but the throbbing vein in his neck told me it was just a facade. This wasn’t good for either of us. He knew it, and so did I.
I peeked outside to see more cars pulling up in front of my apartment. “More reporters keep coming!” I began to panic. “Drake, what are we going to do?”
“First, you need to text Mason and tell him not to come here while I call my family.” He picked up his phone as tears streamed down my cheeks.
Oh my God. Mason. He doesn’t deserve his name in the paper.
Another thought struck me, and I felt like I was going to throw up. “Your family is going to hate me. Maybe I should go outside and give a statement.” I looked down at my bare legs. “I need to get dressed.” I scurried into my bedroom.
Drake walked into my bedroom and shut the door as I was rummaging through my dresser drawers. “You’re not giving a statement. Eventually, they’ll leave. But go ahead and get dressed. I’m calling Jack. We’ll go out the back door and hang out at his house.”
I frantically shook my head. “No, I won’t put your family in the middle of this.”
“They love you, whether you want them to or not, so give me my shirt so we can get out of here.”
He called Jack, who said he’d meet us on the street behind mine in twenty minutes. Once we were both dressed, I stood in my foyer and stared in the mirror, cursing my reflection for allowing myself to fall for such a wonderful man with a loyal family.
Drake checked out the back window. “We’re in the clear. Let’s start heading out.”
“But I need to pack a bag.”
“We’ll buy what you need. I already texted Gretchen, and she’s going to meet us at Jack’s.”
I sighed, knowing I was fighting a losing battle. “Okay.”
He took my hand and we raced through my backyard to the neighboring street, where Jack was waiting for us in his black Mercedes SUV with tinted windows. As soon as we were settled in the backseat, Jack took off toward his house.
He glanced back at us. “Are you okay, Lucy?” When I didn’t say anything, Jack shook his head. “Never mind, that was a dumb question.”
“Thank you for helping me.” I caught his eye in the rearview mirror, and he smiled. It was similar to Drake’s, sans the dimple.
“No need to thank family.”
Family. Drake’s brother thought of me as part of the family, and he didn’t really know me. I needed to rectify that today and open up to the Prescotts.
CHAPTER 20
~ Drake ~
We pulled up to Jack’s house in tight silence. Lucy’s face was devoid of any color, and her eyes were filled with such sadness and fear, it pained me. Jack punched in the security code and the gate opened. My parents’ car and Gretchen’s were at the top of the driveway, and I was happy they were here.
Lucy climbed out of the car, clutching her purse. She didn’t say a word or make eye contact with me or Jack. She was emotionless, her face completely blank as if she’d retreated within herself, and it scared me.
Jack shot me a sympathetic glance.
When he opened his front door, our parents and sister were sitting in the living room. Mom got up and hugged Lucy, but my girl’s arms didn’t wrap around my mom; they dangled by her side.
“Sweetheart, come and sit down. Josh is in the kitchen making us something to eat.” Her comforting voice brought Lucy out of her trance.
“Thank you.” That was all she said, but it was two words more than she’d spoken in the past forty-five minutes.
Gretchen walked up and threw her arms around my neck. Whispering in my ear, she said, “I’m so sorry this is happening.”
I hugged my sister. “Me too. She doesn’t deserve this.”
Glancing at my father, I said, “Hey, Dad.”
He got up and shook my hand. “How is she doing, son?”
“Not too well.”
We all sat down and Josh walked in. Lucy looked up at him as he placed a cup of tea on the coffee table in front of her, and gave him a wan smile and a tiny nod of thanks. The rest of the family gathered and sat around us.
“Is Dane here?” Lucy asked as she glanced around the room.
My mom answered, “He’s on his way to Long Island, but he wanted us to tell you, well, I can’t repeat what he said, but he’s thinking of you.”
When Lucy’s brows drew together in confusion, Gretchen spoke up. “Dane said to fuck ’em and not to let them get to you because they were all limp-dicked assholes.”
“Gretchen Margaret!” My mom scolded my sister, but that comment made Lucy laugh.
“Sorry, but I was just being honest.” Gretchen shrugged.
Lucy stood, drawing everyone’s attention to her. “I owe you all an explanation.”
“Sweetie, you don’t owe us anything.” My dad’s voice made her lips twitch into the semblance of a smile.
“Thank you, but I do. I need to tell you all my story.” She wiped a tear away and cleared her throat. “My real name is Abigail Winston. I changed my name when I left Colorado when I was nineteen. I did it because I didn’t want to be associated with my parents.”
Lucy looked at my mom and dad. “They weren’t like you; they were extremely judgmental and superficial.” Then she focused on my siblings before her gaze slid to me. “You all have no idea how lucky you are.”
Gretchen sniffed as a tear slid down her face, and she didn’t bother to wipe it away.
Lucy held her hand out to me, and when I took it, she mouthed, I’m sorry. I gave her a small nod, encouraging her to continue.
“When I was in high school, I fell for a boy, but he wasn’t what my parents had in mind for me. My mom would tell me he wasn’t up to par.” She let out a shaky breath. “His name was Greg, and I thought the sun rose and set because of him. The night before my sixteenth birthday, we had sex. He had already graduated and enlisted in the Army, so I wasn’t sure when I’d see him again, but I wanted him to be my first. We used protection, but I got pregnant. Naturally, my mom flipped out when she found out. When she realized I wasn’t yet sixteen and Greg had just turned nineteen when we had sex, she threatened to have him arrested unless I aborted the baby.”
“Oh, Lucy.” My mom jumped up to hug her. This time Lucy reciprocated her embrace, and brought her arms around my mom. When Lucy began to sob, my heart broke for her.
I stood and continued her story. I told them all about Greg and the fact that she thought he had died, but he was actually alive and well and that they saw each other. She finally had closure.
Lucy stepped out of my mom’s arms and sat down, so Mom and I followed suit and took our seats. “My parents don’t know where I am, or at least they didn’t. But I’m sure they do now. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for having embarrassed your family.”
“Don’t be silly, Lucy,” Dad said with conviction. “You’re the victim here, not us.”
Lucy nodded, but I knew she didn’t agree with him. “Maybe so, but I still feel horrible.”
Jack leaned forward. “How did the press find out?”
“That would be my fault.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Gretch and I were at an event, and I told her a little bit of Lucy’s story. Emily overheard.”
“Your ex-slut, Emily?” Josh shrugged. “Sorry, man, but she was the worst thing to happen to you.”
“She still is, and yes, I believe she’s to blame.” I went on to explain the rest of the story. As I did, Lucy dropped her head into her hands and rubbed her temples.
“Lucy.” My dad got up and walked toward her. “Why don’t you go lie down? You’re very pale.”