The press will pick apart her life, uncovering any and all parts of her that she’s chosen to keep hidden. They’ll find out about her mom’s neglect, her stepfather’s shady dealings, and her pervy stepbrother. Even though she’s the sweetest girl on the planet, they’ll brand her as equal parts victim and whore.

My blood boils at the thought of anyone touching her, even with their condescending words.

She deserves so much better than that.

Which is why there will be no walking around town with her hand in mine, proudly showing everyone we’re a couple. We’ll keep this thing between us quiet and hidden. Our precious little secret. One day, when the campaign is over or at least when she’s out of school, we can be more open about us.

My chest aches with the need to see her or talk to her. As much as it drives me insane that Gemma is staying with Willa tonight, which means, I can’t see Willa, I’m not all that bothered by it. Dad does keep Gemma pressed under his thumb more so than Dempsey. It’s not really fair that Dempsey is allowed to run the town and get into heaps of trouble, but it takes an act of Congress for Gemma to be able to spend the night out.

I pull my phone from my pocket and text Jude. Anything to get my mind off Willa since it’s doing nothing but make my mind race.

Me: Any news?

Jude: A few leads. Nothing solid.

I’m half tempted to take the long jaunt from my front doorstep to Jude’s, if only to keep my thoughts on something else, but take to stalking Gemma’s Instagram instead.

Sometimes it hurts to look at Gemma. She closely resembles Jamie when she was that age. Her Instagram is nothing but perfect selfies, highlighting her best angles all the time without fail. I’m disappointed, though not surprised, to not find any pictures of Willa. Gemma hasn’t posted any pictures tonight.

I’m about to close the app and head for bed when someone tags me in a picture. Since I barely use the app for posting anything and just for stalking people, I frown at the tag. It’s from a kid in one of my classes. Tommy Baker.

“Who knew a Park sandwich could be so hot?”

A Park sandwich?

I open the picture and try to figure out why the fuck I was tagged in it. Two guys are dancing with a scantily dressed chick between them. It takes all of two seconds to realize the guy behind the girl is Spencer and the one in front of her is Dempsey. This wouldn’t be the first time I was accidentally tagged in my family’s bullshit.