custodian at NorthWest high school just over four years ago. I don’t say his name, and I don’t name
the city where he’s incarcerated. Because I gave the police so many details,
they were able to link him to—”
Addison
held up a hand. “Whoa. Hold on a second. Police? Nadine, what did this guy do?”
She
let out a shaky breath. Addison Carlyle wasn’t a man who liked to wait through
details. “He raped me.” Just saying it was so damn liberating she almost cried. The last time she’d said it out loud had
been four years ago. This had been the right decision. She knew that now.
Addison’s
jaw dropped. “Oh … oh my God. Oh, Nadine.” He shocked the hell out of her by
moving next to her on the bed and pulling her into his arms. It happened so
fast she had no time to get freaked out by it, but she didn’t flinch or try to
pull away. The truth was that it felt pretty damn good to be held and comforted
like this. “I’m so sorry. I never imagined it was anything like that.”
He
pulled away and looked into her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“ Well, by not telling anyone I mean family or friends.
I told the police, and of course Brenda Washington, the school principal. They
were able to link him to multiple rapes across the country and there wasn’t
even a trial. He pled guilty and is in jail.”
“ For how long?” His voice was tense.
“ Twenty-five years, but he gets no parole hearings.”
Addison’s
gaze turned hard. “That isn’t good enough for a fucking scumbag like that. What
can I do?”
“ You’re doing it,” she said quietly. “You’re
listening.”
He
shook his head. “It’s not enough. Did you see a doctor?”
“ Yes. That’s why they had DNA and were able to track
down all the other crimes.”
“ Did any of his victims come forward?”
“ A few did initially, but he …” She sighed. “Most were
too afraid because he threatened them just like he did me.”
“ What did he threaten to do to you?”
“ He knew everything about me. That was his MO. He’d
change his name, get a job where he could dig into records and watch his
intended victims, and then because by the time he … he attacked them, he knew
so much about them, he was able to threaten them. He told me he’d find my
father and kill him if I said anything, but that idiot didn’t know my father.”
“ I take it that your mother wasn’t listed in your
personnel records, then?”
She
shook her head. “No point in doing that.”
“ Does she even know your dad is missing?”
“ I left her a voice mail message and sent a couple of
emails. No response.” She already knew that Addison was well acquainted with
the history of Wendy and her father, and that was fine with her. It saved her
from having to relay the story again.
“ You said this was four years ago.”
“ That’s right.” He looked like he wanted to say
something else, but it was clear he was either debating whether to bring up the
subject, or having difficulty choosing his words. She decided to put him out of
his misery. “No, I haven’t had sex with anyone since then. I wasn’t a virgin
before, but I’d had limited experience. Let me rephrase that. I’d had sex with
one boy, one time before that.”
Her
face burned, and she had to avert her gaze. It was the bluntest, most intimate
comment she’d ever made to any man about her personal life. Why the hell was
she spilling her guts to Addison? She’d known him all her life but had never
had such a personal conversation with him. What was it about him that allowed
her to trust him so much now, of all times? Was it because of the
circumstances, or had she felt this way all along and never realized it?
“ It must be very difficult for you to trust anyone.”
She
met his gaze because the tone of his voice was so tender it surprised her. Who
was this guy? She’d been so wrong all these years. His earlier confession came
back to her. Did he regret it now? “Not you,
the city where he’s incarcerated. Because I gave the police so many details,
they were able to link him to—”
Addison
held up a hand. “Whoa. Hold on a second. Police? Nadine, what did this guy do?”
She
let out a shaky breath. Addison Carlyle wasn’t a man who liked to wait through
details. “He raped me.” Just saying it was so damn liberating she almost cried. The last time she’d said it out loud had
been four years ago. This had been the right decision. She knew that now.
Addison’s
jaw dropped. “Oh … oh my God. Oh, Nadine.” He shocked the hell out of her by
moving next to her on the bed and pulling her into his arms. It happened so
fast she had no time to get freaked out by it, but she didn’t flinch or try to
pull away. The truth was that it felt pretty damn good to be held and comforted
like this. “I’m so sorry. I never imagined it was anything like that.”
He
pulled away and looked into her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“ Well, by not telling anyone I mean family or friends.
I told the police, and of course Brenda Washington, the school principal. They
were able to link him to multiple rapes across the country and there wasn’t
even a trial. He pled guilty and is in jail.”
“ For how long?” His voice was tense.
“ Twenty-five years, but he gets no parole hearings.”
Addison’s
gaze turned hard. “That isn’t good enough for a fucking scumbag like that. What
can I do?”
“ You’re doing it,” she said quietly. “You’re
listening.”
He
shook his head. “It’s not enough. Did you see a doctor?”
“ Yes. That’s why they had DNA and were able to track
down all the other crimes.”
“ Did any of his victims come forward?”
“ A few did initially, but he …” She sighed. “Most were
too afraid because he threatened them just like he did me.”
“ What did he threaten to do to you?”
“ He knew everything about me. That was his MO. He’d
change his name, get a job where he could dig into records and watch his
intended victims, and then because by the time he … he attacked them, he knew
so much about them, he was able to threaten them. He told me he’d find my
father and kill him if I said anything, but that idiot didn’t know my father.”
“ I take it that your mother wasn’t listed in your
personnel records, then?”
She
shook her head. “No point in doing that.”
“ Does she even know your dad is missing?”
“ I left her a voice mail message and sent a couple of
emails. No response.” She already knew that Addison was well acquainted with
the history of Wendy and her father, and that was fine with her. It saved her
from having to relay the story again.
“ You said this was four years ago.”
“ That’s right.” He looked like he wanted to say
something else, but it was clear he was either debating whether to bring up the
subject, or having difficulty choosing his words. She decided to put him out of
his misery. “No, I haven’t had sex with anyone since then. I wasn’t a virgin
before, but I’d had limited experience. Let me rephrase that. I’d had sex with
one boy, one time before that.”
Her
face burned, and she had to avert her gaze. It was the bluntest, most intimate
comment she’d ever made to any man about her personal life. Why the hell was
she spilling her guts to Addison? She’d known him all her life but had never
had such a personal conversation with him. What was it about him that allowed
her to trust him so much now, of all times? Was it because of the
circumstances, or had she felt this way all along and never realized it?
“ It must be very difficult for you to trust anyone.”
She
met his gaze because the tone of his voice was so tender it surprised her. Who
was this guy? She’d been so wrong all these years. His earlier confession came
back to her. Did he regret it now? “Not you,
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