Page 193 of Chasing Hope

Until one word—one broken, whispered word—cuts through the mayhem.

“What?”

Turning, my eyes drift to Caleb, his face perplexed, eyes wide and incredulous, his complexion slowly turning green.

Serena helps Marcus up as Caleb stutters out, “He…no. No. He wouldn’t. That would be—” His head snaps to his father as he barks out a humorless laugh. “That’s preposterous. You wouldn’t touch my sister. You wouldn’t touch your daughter like that. That’s sick. Dad, you didn’t…”

He looks back to Evie, at her lower lip trembling, at the waythat even when I approach she flinches, and that one little move is all it takes for the truth of the matter to click into place.

“Evie?” he whispers.

Every emotion Caleb is pummeled with is written stark across his face.

Disbelief.

Astonishment.

Anger.

Then finally, disgust.

Without warning Caleb empties the contents of his stomach by our feet.

Evie’s tears turn into sobs and I can’t hold myself back even if I tried. But blessedly, as I wrap an arm around her, Evie doesn’t flinch. Instead, she sinks into my warmth, clinging to my shirt like a raft in the middle of the ocean.

“Your sister is confused,” Serena cuts in.

Ignoring everyone but the two people who mean the world to me, I keep my arm around Evie and usher her toward Caleb. “Come on, Dove, don’t listen to a word she says.”

“She’s lying. She just wants attention because your life is doing so well and hers has fallen to shit.”

The words from Marcus make both Evie and I stop in our tracks. And Caleb—despite the shocking revelation, despite how jarred he is, he takes one look at his broken sister who begins to gag and needs no further proof.

Within the blink of an eye, rage consumes him.

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” he seethes, already moving. “How fucking could you?!”

He’s screaming with such agony my heart rips open, a pained sob breaking free from my chest as I watch the two people who mean the world to me shatter. Evie cries, too, as Caleb throws everything he has into punching his father.

“You disgusting pedophile!” Caleb roars but his voice cracks halfway before turning into a wail.

“Stop it, Caleb, you’re going to kill him!” Serena begs.

“Good! He fucking deserves to die!”

The sound of sirens wailing out along the main street is whatsnaps me out of my frozen stupor. Hating myself for it, I let go of Evie and run after Caleb.

Ripping him off Marcus is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Caleb, like me before, tries to keep going, tries with all his might to throw me off, but I’ve always been slightly bigger. Despite dragging him away, Caleb’s fists keep swinging and his legs keep kicking as he wails in pain, screaming obscenities at his father.

I can’t even understand what he’s saying but I can’t let him go to jail.

Kieran appears out of nowhere, a wild look in his eyes as he helps me pull Caleb away. Serena stays with Marcus, crying as she tries to soothe her abusive husband.

Three police officers round the corner and it’s only then that Caleb sags in my arms. Utter devastation wracks his body and he begins to sob in earnest.

Lifting my head to Kieran, no words are needed. He flicks his chin behind me and says, “Go, I’ve got him. I’ll meet you back at your apartment. Take care of Evie.”

Not needing any more convincing, I turn to find the love of my life a shell of who she is. I didn’t even hear them arrive but Bella, Layla, and Cindy are gathered around her, along with three other people I don’t know. Evie doesn’t say a word, just stands motionless, her eyes on her parents and the officers. Every now and then, her mother points at her daughter with a shaky finger.