“I’ll take a few questions on Miss Lamore’s behalf. The entire story will run in Newsday tomorrow.” The reporters polarize. Some continue to follow me, ignoring Emma, but eventually even they stop in their tracks and look back at her, unsure of who to follow.
I hustle to the parking garage and once I’m out of sight, I take a deep breath to steady myself. I can still see them even though I’m in shadows and out of sight. They look for me, but can’t tell where I went.
Turning, I walk toward my bike and will my heart to slow. I swing my leg over and quickly pull on my helmet. That’s when Edward appears again. He’s walking to his car, which is parked right next to me.
He rushes toward me and wraps his arms around me before I have time to blink. “Anna! Thank God you’re all right. I’ll kill him for touching you. I swear,” he says holding my helmeted head in his hands, “I’ll make sure he never touches you again.”
I’m past the point of reasonable conversation. I’m angry and hurting. I hate that he’s here now, seeing me like this. I hate that he assumes I let Cole use me like that. I swat his hands away. The expression on his face changes rapidly from concern to shock. His lips part like he’s going to say something else stupid or condescending.
I speak before he has the chance, “Nothing happened between us. It was lies. I didn’t cheat on you. I never did anything with Cole like they implied in that article, so don’t stand there feeling sorry for me because nothing happened. It’s part of whatever crap is going on with my current boss—an attempt to smear Cole more than she already has. She tossed me under the bus with him. Do you understand? I’m pissed, but other than that, I’m fine.”
Edwards eyes are too cool for someone so mad only seconds ago. He nods calmly. “Many victims can’t accept what happened to them. It’s not your fault, Anna.” He reaches for my hand.
I snap. I can’t stand him. I don’t want to be here with him. I smack his hand and rev the engine as I kick start the bike. “Stay away from me, Edward. If I see you again, even by accident, I swear to God that I’ll punch you. So just stay away.” My voice is full of anger as I speak. When I finish I don’t wait for him to respond. Instead I gas the bike and peel out of the parking spot, zipping into traffic.
I drive too fast, bobbing and weaving when there’s no need. I do everything possible to hold myself together until I step onto my parent’s doorstep. Then the tears start and don’t stop.
My mom takes me in her arms and for once doesn’t ask about anything. She runs her hand over the back of my head, and pulls me inside.
CHAPTER 14
“Frankie, grab us some coffees. Anna looks like she could use one.” Ma says.
Daddy grabs the coffee pot and makes me a cup the way I like it. Then he grabs some cookies from a white bakery box and puts them on the plate, too. He hands it to me and I know he’s thinking of me when I was little and he knew what to do. Now he stands there awkwardly, not sure if he should chase down Cole and skin him, or wait and listen to what I have to say.
“Here baby,” Dad says. His voice is gruff, like his rage is barely in check. After a moment, he says, “Tell me the truth. That guy, the one you brought here—was he forcing you to...?” Dad can’t finish the sentence. His face turns red, his mouth crushing into an expression of fury as he says it.
I reach out for his hand and look him in the eye. “No. They lied. The paper lied, Dad. Whoever had that article run was gunning for Cole. I just got caught in the splatter.” At least I hope that’s it. Admitting that Cole somehow wronged Sottero like that, with a settlement so large, is unthinkable. Cole is always so careful, not touching, always asking the assistant to do things at shoots. I never even saw him touch a woman at the studio, well, besides me.
I backtrack and tell my parents about the dean and the internship. I tell them how I was surprised that I liked working with Cole and how horrible it was with Sottero. When I’m done they know everything. I even told them that I had a crush on Cole, and that he said no.
Dad’s shoulders relax as I speak, but the tension in his arms remains the same. He still wants to break something. There’s no doubt that Dad would be happy to kill someone and bury them in the backyard if they hurt me. The nervous twitch of his hands, the way his fingers move like he wants to strangle something doesn’t stop, even after he knows the truth.
Ma is silent, which is unusual. She watches me as I speak and I feel foolish telling her about the crush on Cole. I don’t mention the stripping, the touching right before he told me good-bye. Sadness consumes me, but I don’t want it to. Clearing my throat, I push away from the table.
Ma says, “Where are you going?”