You seemed busy. I swallowed the flare of jealousy. “Well, I didn’t really think. I just saw them and acted. He’s twice her size. I was worried he’d hurt her. I thought if he knew someone else was there and watching, he’d stop. I guess I was wrong.”

“That was dangerous. You can’t do things like that. You could get seriously hurt.”

He might have had a point, but I wasn’t letting it go. I glared at him. “I know. But I literally couldn’t stand by and watch and not do anything. I just kept thinking, what if—”

His voice lowered. “What if, what, Abbie?”

The tiny voice told me to shut the hell up. To not spill the nightmare that kept me up most nights. “Nothing.”

He took my hand in his, but I pulled it back. “Tell me, please. I want to understand. What if, what?”

I shook my head, unable to put voice to the pain I carried around. “Nothing, Alexi. Let it go.”

He shook his head. “No. If we’re going to do this, I want to know what’s scaring you. What aren’t you telling me? Whatever it is, I can take it.”

My lungs constricted, and I thought they would explode if I didn’t just breathe and get it out. “I kept thinking what if someone had seen Easton with his hands on me. Could it have made a difference? Would it have stopped him from hurting me?” With the gates now open, I didn’t dare look at Lex. Instead, I dropped my head into my hands.

His voice was icy but barely audible when he spoke. “He hit you?”

I could only nod as sobs constricted my vocal cords. I could feel him nearly vibrating next to me.

“Is that why you’re so uncomfortable with touching?”

I wiped away the tears and forced myself to face him. If I could look at him now, maybe I was strong enough to face everything. “I—I don’t like surprise touches. Don’t really do hugging. I generally stay out of striking distance.” I shook my head. “I’ve never told anyone but my mother before.”

“And she didn’t have him arrested?”

My chuckle was harsh and mirthless. “She pretty much told me to suck it up. Told me how lucky I was that someone like Easton Peters would want me. With his parents’ money and connections, I’d be set for life if I could figure out how to keep him happy.”

“Fuck,” he muttered through clenched teeth. “I’m sorry, but I’m not a big fan of your mother.” He rubbed his jaw. “Wait, does he know where you are or how to find you?”