Winter exploded in my face. The air was too cold to breathe, burning my nose and throat with each gasp of air that I took in. The wind had picked up and the large snowflakes whipped around me. My hair thrashed against my face and I squinted as the icy wind blurred my vision.

I tried to sort all of the new information, but the freezing air along with my anger blocked any rational thought I could have. I reached the end of the drive and trudged into the street, walking as fast as my legs could carry me. My home had become a dark, wicked thing where corruption and scandal took place. I couldn’t bring myself to look back, even though I had no intentions of returning.

When the painful burn from the wind began to wane to a numbing sensation, I heard a vehicle slow down beside me. I continued to walk; I wasn’t in the mood to explain myself or argue with Robert. He was less capable of changing my mind than my mother.

“Nina?”

I knew that voice. It belonged to the one person I wanted to see. When I came to a stop, so did his SUV.

“I’m taking the bus, Jared,” I said, looking straight ahead.

“No, you’re not. I’ve come to take you home.”

I stood perfectly still except for the occasional weaving when the wind attempted to knock me over.

“Nina, it’s freezing outside,” he said, impatient.

When I didn’t budge, Jared opened his door and walked over to me. He stared at me for a moment and then bent down, sweeping me into his arms. He carried me to the passenger side, pressing his warm lips to my forehead.

He placed me gently into the seat and paused. “What were you thinking?”

I couldn’t utter a single word. I felt broken; it was all too much for me to accept in such a short amount of time.

Once in his seat, he turned the heater to its highest setting and pulled forward. Occasionally, Jared would reach over and brush my hair back from my face, or hold his warm hand affectionately to my cheek, but the only sounds were the heated air blowing through the vents and the road under the tires.

The Escalade came to a stop on the street behind Andrews. Jared walked with me to the door in silence, but when I put my hand on the knob, he touched my arm.

“Nina, I know it’s a lot to take in, but he loved you.”

My eyes focused and I shot a glare at him. “You knew my father?”

Jared’s eyes tensed in anguish. “I know everything that he did…he did out of love for you, Nina. You were his world.”