Not the Only One (Book 1 in the Four of Us Trilogy)

Sixty-Seven - May 16, 2018

Miles

By the time Rachel got back to the library, Ms. Dawson had gone into strict teacher mode and wouldn't let us talk. Rachel asked me to meet her in the bleachers at the football field after school.

I drove over and saw her sitting at the very top, no one else in sight. I smiled at the sight of her and ran up the stairs two at a time.

"Hey beautiful," I said, kissing her lips softly.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft.

I sat down next to her with one leg on either side of the bench, facing her.

"What's going on, baby?" I asked, brushing her hair out of her face.

She sighed, and for a moment I thought she was going to shut me out again, but she looked up at me, her face was open. 

"You have to promise not to flip out."

"That's not a good start," I replied nervously.

She shook her head. "I know. Miles, your dad showed up in the parking lot after school yesterday."

My face heated up instantly. "WHAT!?" I exclaimed.

"Please... calm down. Because you're really not going to like this next part."

"Oh, God."

"He... he threatened me."

"He what!? Did he put his hands on you?"

She paused a moment and nodded. "He put his hand on my neck and held me still so he could get in my face... then he shoved me backward and I almost fell," she whispered.

"I'm going to kill him," I hissed through my teeth.

"That's not all... he told me that I had to stop seeing you."

I laughed then, a hysterical, high-pitched sound. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"No... he said if I didn't, there would be consequences. That he'd hurt one of us... and I think he meant you."

"God, I hate him," I murmured. "Why would he – " But I stopped. I knew why. He knew that I had figured him out – or at least he suspected. And he didn't want her around because of what he'd done to her brother.

She started talking again, giving me his reasons, but I barely heard her.

I had to act, and I had to act fast – or he'd slip right through our fingers.

Luke

My phone rang, and when I saw it was Miles I answered immediately. "Hey, did you talk to Rachel?"

His voice was hard, incensed. "Yeah. I did. Luke, we have to tell her today."

I chewed my lip nervously, but I knew he was right. "Yeah, I agree."

"But I don't have the folder... I really want her to see the proof. And now my dad's home, so I can't exactly go get it."

I grinned, even though he couldn't see me. "Don't worry, brother; I got you."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"That day, when you showed me the folder, I took pictures of all of it with my phone. You just didn't notice."

"Holy shit, Luke. You're a fucking genius."

"I've been told," I laughed, and he continued. "Bring her to the house."

"All right. We'll be there shortly."

"I'll be here."

Miles disconnected the call and I exhaled.