“Is that what you think?

What hed done to her was so private, so intimate, she didnt think she could bear knowing hed used her. She wanted him to tell Henry he was wrong, that hed kissed her and touched her because he wanted her, not because he hated Henry. “I dont know!

“Dont you?

“No.

He didnt speak for what seemed like an eternity, then he said, “Believe Henry then.

A sob caught in her throat and she stumbled toward the Lincoln. Her chest felt as if it were caving in on itself, and she managed to get into the car before the second tear slid down her cheek. The cold leather beneath her bare behind reminded her she was completely naked under her dress. She stared out the window at both men, and above the pounding of her heart, she heard Henry threaten Nick.

“You stay away from my daughter, he yelled. “You stay away or Ill make your life hell.

“You can try, Nick said, his words barely audible through the thick glass. “But there is nothing you can do to me.

“Well see about that. Henry moved to the drivers side of the Lincoln. “Stay away from Delaney, he warned one last time and slid into the front seat. He slipped the car into reverse, and the headlights shone on Nick for a few short seconds. And in those few seconds, his T-shirt glowed a bright white, the soft cotton untucked at his waist, and the top button on his jeans was undone. He leaned down to pick up something, but Henry cranked the wheel and the car turned toward the road before she could see what hed retrieved from the ground. But she didnt have to see, she already knew. Carefully, she tucked her dress beneath her bare behind.

“This is going to kill your mother, Henry seethed.

Probably, Delaney thought. She looked down at her hands and a tear fell on her thumb.

“She went to your room to tell you good night, but you werent there. The Lincoln turned onto the main road, and Henry gunned the big engine. “Shes worried sick. Shes afraid youve been kidnapped.

Delaney bit her lip to keep the customary apology inside. She didnt care that shed worried her mother.

“Just wait until she learns the truth is worse than anything she could have imagined.

“How did you find me?

“Not that it matters, but several people down at the market saw you crawl into Allegrezzas car. If you hadnt left the gate open at Angel Beach, it would have taken me a lot longer, but I would have found you.

Delaney didnt doubt him. She turned her gaze to the passenger window and stared out into the dark night. “I cant believe you hunted me down. Im eighteen and I cant believe you drove around town looking for me as if I were ten years old.

“And I cant believe I found you naked as a two-bit hooker, he said and kept up his verbal battering until he pulled the Lincoln into the garage.

As calm as possible under the circumstances, Delaney got out of the car and walked into the house. Her mother met her in the kitchen.

“Where have you been? Gwen asked, her gaze sliding from Delaneys face to her feet then back up again.

Delaney walked past without answering. Henry would tell her mother. He always did. Then together they would decide her fate. They would probably ground her as if she were a child. She moved up the stairs to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. She wasnt trying to hide. She knew better, and even if she hadnt, tonights lesson showed her the futility of independence.

She looked at her reflection in the cheval mirror. Mascara trailed down her cheeks, her eyes were red, and her face pale. Otherwise she looked as she always did. She didnt look as if her world had shifted beneath her feet and now she stood in a new place. Her room looked the same as it had hours ago when shed sneaked out the window. The pictures stuck to the mirror, and the roses on her bedspread were the same as theyd always been, but everything was different. She was different.

Shed let Nick do things to her that shed never imagined in her wildest dreams. Oh, shed heard about oral sex. A few girls in her math class had bragged about knowing how to give blow jobs, but until tonight, Delaney had never believed people actually did that sort of thing. Now she knew better. Now she knew a man didnt even have to like the girl he was with. Now she knew that a man could do incredibly intimate things to a woman for reasons other than passion or mutual attraction. Now she knew what it was like to be used.

When she thought of Nicks warm mouth pressed to the inside of her thigh, her pale cheeks turned red and she turned her gaze away from her reflection. What she saw embarrassed her. Shed wanted to feel free. Free from Henrys control. Free from her life.

She was a fool.

Delaney changed into a pair of jeans and T-shirt, then washed her face. When she was finished, she went to Henrys office, where she knew her parents would be waiting for her. They stood behind the mahogany desk, and by the look on Gwens face, Henry had filled her in on every excruciating detail.

Gwens blue eyes were wide as she looked at her daughter. “Well, I dont know what to say to you.

Delaney sat in one of the leather chairs opposite the desk. Not knowing what to say had never stopped her mother before. It didnt stop her now.

“Tell me Henry is mistaken. Tell me he didnt see you in a sexually compromising situation with that Allegrezza boy.

Delaney didnt say anything. She knew she wouldnt win. She never did.

“How could you? Gwen shook her head and placed a hand at her throat. “How could you do such a thing to this family? While you were crawling out your bedroom window did you give a thought to your fathers position in this community? While you were letting that Allegrezza boy put his hands on you, did you stop—for even one second—to think how your father would suffer for your actions?

“No, Delaney answered. When Nicks head had been between her thighs, she hadnt given a thought to her parents. Shed been busy humiliating herself.

“You know how this town loves to gossip. By ten oclock tomorrow, everyone in town will know about your shameful behavior. How could you do this?

“Youve hurt your mother deeply, Henry added. They were like tag team wrestlers, one ready to jump in when the other ran out of steam. “If your disgraceful behavior gets out, I dont know how shell hold her head up in this town. He pointed a finger at her. “We never expected this of you. You were always such a good girl. We never expected that you would do something so vulgar. I never thought youd bring shame on this family. I guess you arent the person we thought you were. I guess we dont even know you.

Delaneys hands clenched into fists. She knew better than to say anything. She knew defending herself only made things worse. She knew if she said anything, Henry would considered it arguing, and Henry hated for anyone to argue with him. But Delaney couldnt help it. “Thats because youve never wanted to know me. Youre only interested in how I make you look. You dont care how I feel.

“Laney, Gwen gasped.

“You dont care that I dont want to go to college right away. I told you I didnt want to go, and youre making me go anyway.

“So thats what tonight was all about, Henry said as if he were an omnipotent God. “You wanted to get back at me for knowing whats best for you.

“Tonight was about me, she said as she stood. “I wanted to go out and be a regular eighteen-year-old. I wanted to have a life. I wanted to feel free.

“You mean feel free to screw up your life.

“Yes! Free to screw up my life if I want to, just like everyone else. I never have the freedom to do anything. You choose everything for me. I never have a choice.

“And its a good thing, Gwen took over. “Youre immature and selfish, and tonight you chose the one boy who could hurt this family the most. You gave yourself to a person whose only interest in you was to get back at Henry.