Page 32 of Enforce This

He whipped the car onto the Interstate, and we raced back toward Illinois.

“You can’t be speeding on Interstate Seventy, like we’re still in Saint Louis, you’re going to get us pulled over,” I pointed out, an hour later as we edged closer to Swanwick.

He dropped his speed to eighty, and shot me a look that said I should be grateful he was humoring me.

“What are you in such a hurry for, anyway?”

He didn’t answer me, he kept his eye on the road and the pedal punched. Five minutes later, we flew past the Swanwick exit.

“You, uh– You missed your turn.” I tapped the window.

“We can’t go back to my house. You aren’t safe there.”

“Then where are we going?”

He took a deep breath but didn’t look at me. Twenty minutes later, I went into full-on panic mode when he guided the car onto the Rochester ramp.

“Wh– What are you doing, Easy?”

He shot me a look, and I realized I’d never used his road name before.

“Taking you to the courthouse.”

“You can’t,” I blurted out, already reaching for the door handle.

I gripped it and gave it a tug, but Oak, apparently, had a child safety lock on the damn thing.

“What the fuck?” Eric swerved and grabbed the wrist closest to him. “What the fuck are you doing?”

He jerked the car over and braked hard.

“I can’t go to Doug. You don’t understand.” I started rambling and crying.

The thought of being alone with Doug… Without Mom… It made every fiber in my being want to bolt.

“What did Doug do to you,” he asked, so calmly that my blood turned cold.

Goosebumps broke out down my arm, and my voice turned small.

“Nothing,” I whispered, almost inaudibly.

His hand snaked out and took purchase of my chin so fast I startled and drew in a breath like it might be my last. His eyes locked with mine, and he ground out his words.

“What. The. Fuck. Did. Your. Stepfather. Do?”

I violently shook my head and tears flooded my eyes, but he didn’t let go of my chin.

“Nothing. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t believe me,” I blubbered.

Eric relaxed, and his hand slid along my cheek. “Who was it?”

I sniffled and his thumb pressed against my lower lip like he hoped the answer would spill from my mouth.

“His brother, Evan.” Every time I admitted the truth, I’d been met with violence growing up.

I closed my eyes as my body tensed and prepared for the worst.

When it didn’t come, I opened my eyes, allowing the tears to escape down my cheeks and stared into Eric’s beautiful, brown eyes.