“She’s not stupid. She’s still in the kitchen with the food.”
Smiling, I reached for Bishop’s hand and shook it as I teased, “Long time no see. I didn’t know you guys would be here.”
Kyle shrugged. “Last-minute invite, so I forgot the pickup sticks.”
Bishop and I both laughed.
Abby came around the corner of the kitchen with Noel at her heels. She had a glow about her that seemed to light up the whole living room. I was glad that she and Bishop had worked out their issues. I’d honestly never seen two people so in love. Well, except for me and Bella before…
I let that thought drift away.
“You look beautiful tonight, Abby,” I said, walking over and kissing her cheek.
“Thanks. Arabella’s in the kitchen with Aiden.”
“Is Willa here too? She just texted me,” I asked as I headed toward the kitchen. When I walked around the corner, I saw that it was just Bella and Aiden in there. Bella’s head lifted and her eyes met mine—and I could tell immediately something was off.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Aiden cleared his throat, and Bella looked down at her hands, which were twisting the edge of her sweater. She never used to do that, but it was something I noticed she did often now…whenever she was nervous or uneasy.
I walked up to Bella. Placing my finger on her chin, I lifted her head. “Why is everyone here, Bella?”
“I, um…I asked them to be here.”
I nodded and glanced at Aiden, then back at her. “Okay.”
“We need to talk, Hunter.”
My heart slammed against my rib cage. “You’re not…breaking up with me…”
Her eyes went wide. “No! God, no. I told you, I’m not running anymore. I made you a promise, and I don’t intend on ever breaking it.”
“Then what’s going on?” I asked—before suddenly realizing I was about to get the answers I’d been waiting ten years for. My heartbeat started to pound in my chest, and I almost turned and walked right out the door. Who was the one running now?
“Let’s sit down in the living room, Hunter,” Aiden said.
“Does this have something to do with you going to the counseling center today?” I asked.
Bella’s eyes snapped up to meet mine. “How did you know I was there?”
“We got back early, and when I drove by I saw you walking out.”
She looked at Aiden who nodded at me.
“Do you mind if we sit down?” she asked, taking my hand in hers.
I followed her without saying a word. Kyle, Bishop, and Abby all sat in the living room chairs, leaving the sofa open for me and Bella.
When we sat down, I saw that Bella’s hands were shaking. I reached for them, and she turned to face me. “I need to tell you what happened in college. The reason I broke up with you.”
All I could do was nod. Then I looked around the room and let out a humorless laugh. “Do we need an audience for this?”
Abby looked down at the floor as Bishop and Kyle exchanged a look. I saw Abby wipe a tear from her cheek, and I turned back to Bella. I could feel my heart pounding harder and my breathing getting heavier.
Bella cleared her throat and said, “I was in a study group with another girl, Sarah, and two guys.” She paused, and I waited. “It ended and…and Sarah and the one guy left.”
I felt my heart break in two because I knew. I already knew what she was about to say.
No. Please God, no.
She looked up and tears rolled down her beautiful face. “I begged him, Hunter. I fought so hard but he…he held me down and he shoved the—” Her hand went up to her neck as she fought to keep speaking. “He shoved the scarf you bought me for Christmas that year into my mouth. I was so scared, and the room was soundproof. He… He…”
I closed my eyes and felt my own tears trickle down my cheeks as the next three words she said hit me like a freight train.
“He raped me.”
My chest felt like someone had ripped it open, yanked my heart out, and kept stomping on it. The pain was nearly crippling.
“He raped you?” I repeated.
She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
I knew I should pull her toward me. Hold her, tell her everything would be okay. But I was frozen. An instant wave of hate and rage filled me…until something else finally took hold while I listened to the love of my life crying next to me.
I wrapped my arms around Bella and held her as I looked over at Kyle, and Aiden. “Did you know about this?”
“Not until today,” Aiden softly said. My body shook, and all I wanted to do was hit someone. Hit the motherfucker who’d dared to touch Arabella.
When I looked to the right, I saw Abby’s face. “Did you know this whole time?” I asked, not even caring that my voice was filled with fury.
She swallowed hard and nodded.
My eyes jerked back to Bishop, and he shook his head. A part of me wanted to scream at Abby, but I knew that it wouldn’t do anyone any good and wouldn’t change anything.
Bella drew back and looked up at me. Her eyes were bloodshot. “I’m so sorry, Hunter! I tried to fight him off. I tried!”
A sick feeling hit me as I realized she blamed herself for the rape. I cupped her face in my hands. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about, Bella. Did you report it?” I asked in a voice that sounded much calmer than I actually felt.
Bella closed her eyes, and I wiped her tears away as I repeated, “Did you report the rape?”
She shook her head, then opened her eyes. “I was too ashamed. He said I asked for it, that I wanted it. I didn’t, Hunter. I swear to you, I never gave him any impression I was the least bit interested.”
Holy fuck. How in the hell could she think I would even question that? “Jesus, Bella. I know you wouldn’t have done that.”
Suddenly, I remembered the day a few weeks ago when we’d met for lunch. I closed my eyes. The things I’d said to her. I’d told her I wanted to hate her. I’d practically mocked her when she said she’d been in pain all these years.
I jumped up suddenly, startling Bella. I shook my head. “I…I…I didn’t mean what I said.”
Bella must have known what I was talking about, because she stood and grabbed my hands. “It’s okay, Hunter. You didn’t know.”
“I didn’t mean it. I would have been there for you. Why in the fuck didn’t you tell me? I would have tracked down that fucker and killed him!”
Bella looked shocked for a moment. She opened her mouth but nothing came out.
“Hunter.” Aiden’s calm voice came from my right side.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked Bella again.
“I…I was so afraid you wouldn’t be able to look at me again. He didn’t use any protection, and I needed to find out if I was pregnant. And I felt so ashamed! I was scared and confused and angry.”
I stumbled back a step. “Were you? Pregnant?”
“No! No, I wasn’t. But when I broke up with you, I didn’t know that yet.”
I pulled her into my arms again and held her. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything else. I love you, Bella. I wish you would have told me. I would have helped you. But nothing could ever make me not love you. Nothing.”