Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Abby

Emmy: You’re coming to the big dinner West and I are hosting, aren’t you?

Me: I should be there.

Emmy: I miss us living together, you know.

Me: I know. But it wasn’t feasible for me to stay.

Emmy: Is everything okay? You’ve been kind of quiet recently. And there haven’t been any emojis.

Me: I’m fine. I’m just trying to figure out what to do with my future since I don’t want to live with my family forever.

Emmy: You can always come back to work for me, if you want. Although I know your heart isn’t there.

Me: Trust me, I’m working on the future. But enough of my problems. Enjoy your new hubby and kids! I have to go help Aunt Lori.

Emmy: I’m here if you need me. Love you. heart emoji

Me: Love you, too.

I t was only fair that I told Rafe of Travis’s threats and blackmail, and I hadn’t even shared all of it. My ex had said that if I tried teaching anywhere in California, he’d go to the police about me seducing students. He even had a few teacher buddies who would back him up.

I’d tested him out to see if he was bluffing by interviewing in Santa Rosa not too long ago. But as soon as the interview was over and they’d offered me the job, Travis had sent a naked picture of me. It had originally been of us, but he’d had someone Photoshop it so that it was me with some teenager.

It’d made me sick, but I’d gotten the message and turned down the job. My family thought I hadn’t gotten it, but it wasn’t as if I could tell them the truth. My own na?veté and lust had caused my shitstorm, one that I’d have to figure out at some point.

Rafe deserved to know the truth, though. And honestly, I’d expected disgust to flare in his eyes and for him to tell me to fuck off.

However, anger flared in his gaze as he curled his fingers into fists. “Who the fuck does he think he is?”

I blinked. “Pardon?”

He stood up fast, and his stool crashed to the floor. “That asshole’s the one who took advantage of his position of power. He’s the fucker who treats women as toys to use and discard. He should be the one fucking punished, not you. Why hasn’t your family helped you with this? Nolan has the money to make that asshole pay.”

I blinked, trying to wrap my head around Rafe’s reaction. I finally made my mouth work again. “Well, they don’t know about it.”

“Why not?”

“Why do you think? Oh, let me just tell Aunt Lori about how stupid I was, how embarrassed I still am, or how sick I feel that anyone thinks I’d take advantage of high school students, take advantage of children , like that.”

“But you don’t deserve to be punished for what he did to you.”

“And I agree. I tried to call his bluff once, but…”

I shut my mouth. Given how angry he already was, I shouldn’t tell Rafe any more.

However, he stalked around the kitchen island and gently took my chin between his fingers. “What happened when you tried to call his bluff, Abigail?”

For a second, I wanted to be a brat and tell him to mind his own fucking business.

But the mixture of tenderness and anger—for me, not at me—made me pause. “Why do you care, Rafael?”

“Because for the moment, you’re still my wife, and that makes you mine to protect.”

“Protect? What, is this like the eighteenth century and the British are coming?”

“Don’t do that, Abby. Don’t change the subject with a joke.”

For a few beats, I stared at him. Talking about this was hard, harder than anything else in the world. Because I’d been an idiot, and it wasn’t easy to admit that. Not even to myself.

Could I confide in him about my screw up? He’d be the first one to hear the details. And given how he was more stranger than a friend at this point, it might be easier.

At some point, his finger started to stroke my jaw oh-so-gently, and I nearly hummed. What would it be like to be Rafe’s wife? To kiss him when I wanted, lick every inch of his body, and be there to cheer him up when he had a bad day?

What would it be like to have a man who’d stand by me instead of tossing me aside for a richer, prettier version?

Would he be someone I could trust? Lean on?

A small voice said, Don’t believe in fairy tales, Abby. You learned that lesson already.

I stepped away, and Rafe released me. Part of me wanted to rush back to him, but I held my ground.

He repeated, “What else did he do to you? Tell me. I can’t make a decision without it.”

I swallowed and tugged at my top. Could I do this? Could I really reveal more of my past to this man? A man I’d once idolized but now argued with constantly and barely knew at all?

Damn it, Travis really had screwed me up. Because I never used to hesitate in sharing stuff about myself. If anything, I had always shared too much.

For a split second, I wanted to run home and cry. I missed that version of myself so much.

His expression and voice softened. “Just tell me, Abigail. I’ve known you your whole life, and one mistake from your past isn’t going to make me run for the hills.”

“It might if it ruins your new dream.”

“I doubt it can.”

His cocky words sparked anger inside of me. And before I could become trapped inside my own head again, I blurted, “My ex has a deep fake video of me having sex with a former student. The original footage had been of me and him, but he had someone alter it, to the point most people will think it’s real. And the worst thing of all is that I hadn’t wanted him to take the video at first. But he convinced me it would please him, and I let him record us. But I never thought, I never…”

My voice cracked as my eyes heated with tears. I turned away and placed my hands over my face. One stupid night from my past had the potential to ruin my life and future and might even land me in jail because it looked so real.

How could I have been so fucking stupid?

That was a question I asked myself every day and never had an answer.

Rafe’s soft voice was right behind me as he said, “I’ll find a way to destroy it, Abigail. You have my word.”

After lowering my hands, I dared a glance behind me. At Rafe’s determined look and clenched jaw, I nearly believed him.

Almost.

Don’t be that na?ve again, Abby.

A harsh laugh escaped me. “As if it’s that easy. He has buddies to back up the story, probably some copies stored in the cloud, and who knows what else. He’s a coach and might’ve even gotten students to agree to be witnesses. If it gets out, I’ll probably get arrested.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, ‘No’?”

“No. You’re my wife, Abby. And no matter what it takes, I’ll help you.”

“I haven’t said yes to your plan yet.”

“Do you want to say no?” He stepped aside and gestured toward the door. “If so, feel free to walk out and we’ll never speak of this again. I’ll get the annulment and it’ll be our drunken secret. But if you want to stay married to me for a year, then know I’ll protect you against that asshole ex and anyone else who threatens you. That’s now part of the deal. So, which will it be?”

I searched his gaze, glanced at the door, and back again. “But my past could ruin your future.”

“You have no reason to trust me, I know that. But I take my promises rather seriously. And I will keep that bastard from hurting you, hurting us, hurting anyone else. If my future gets ruined, it’s because of my actions and no one else’s.” He gestured again. “So, are you going to leave? Or will you stay and be my wife?”

The easy route would be to run. After all, with time, I suspected Travis would tire of threatening me and leave me alone.

But what if he doesn’t? What if he gets off toying with people?

And yet, if I stayed, it meant trusting Rafe, trusting a man unrelated to me to not hurt me.

As long as you keep your feelings and heart out of it, you’ll be okay. Friendship is different from a relationship. Betrayal can still hurt, but it’s not as devastating.

I blurted, “Will you promise to tell me what your plan is before you go after him?”

“Yes.”

His words rang with truth. And yet, my cynical ass still didn’t want to believe him.

My first option was suffering for who knew how long, hoping Travis would tire of his games. Or, I could agree to remain Rafe’s wife and hope he didn’t come to regret being married to me when the whole Travis thing eventually blew up. Because, yeah, me marrying a world-famous soccer player would probably set off my ex and make him act out.

Rafe put out his hand, palm up. “Let me help you, Abigail. Please.”

I stared at his hand, my heart thudding inside my chest, and made a decision.