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“He hit her too. I saw it!”
“Is this the man we want running a mental health clinic?”
I laughed. “Now everyone sees who you are. You can hate me all you want. But you deserved this.” I grabbed Levi’s hand and pulled him away. “Let’s go.”
“Are you okay to drive?” he asked.
“Good enough,” I said. “The dizziness is better. Just let me get the car out of here before Calvin finds a bat.”
“I hate every part of this,” he said. “But that was very smart.”
“Well, I needed one more stupid thing to add to my list. And it should be enough to get him out of our lives forever.”
We got into our respective cars and I ignored all the shouts from Mom and Dad as they chased me down before driving away. The pain dulled into a throb, one that was nothing compared to the other pain I’d experienced all my life.
I’d finally seen the worst he could do.
And I handled it.
I was able to drive the entire way home. Mom and Dad’s calls moved to my phone, but I didn’t care to answer. Instead, I blocked both of their numbers.
They would tell me I deserved what happened to me. And I was done hearing it.
My car door opened and Levi leaned down. “Are you okay?”
“I’d take getting punched in the face over a migraine, honestly.”
“Jesus,” he said. “I’m cleaning you up. And then we’reneverdoing anything like that again.”
“Agreed. That was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
“We’re pressing charges, just so you know. He’s not getting away with this.”
“Of course we are. Why do you think I let him catch up to me in the yard?”
He huffed. “A genius idea. Still an idea I fucking hate.”
I followed him inside where he got a wet rag to gently wipe at my face.
“So, how did being seduced go?”
He looked up. “You tell me. You’re the only one who’ll manage to do it.”
“Fine. Then the attempted seduction.”
“She tried to say she wanted to vent about Calvin. Then she took her jacket off to the ugliest and most revealing top I’d seen, and I kicked her out. And you need to know that I wouldnever?—”
“I know,” I said. “But Sally didn’t. She came to warn me.”
“She did the right thing.”
“Even though she works for you?”
“She had my wife’s best interest in mind.” He gently wiped again. “Even though you never seem to.”
“Hey, short-term danger for long-term benefit. It’s an investment.”
“I never want to see that again, though. Do you understand me?”