Exposed (35 page)

Without reason, only desperation pushing him to act, Ivan pressed his lips into June’s mussed hair.

“I love you, June Powell,” he whispered to her. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Her breath caught and she held on tighter. But her body stilled. Ivan kept talking, low and soothing.

“I love you when you yell at me, and when you’re bold, and when you call me out on all the stupid things I say. I love you when you wear horrible clothes and nothing at all.”

Once he started talking, he couldn’t stop. How long had she been in here by herself, alone? With only Butch assaulting her mind?

“Where should we travel first? I’ve never seen the Pacific, that might be nice. We could take a train to San Francisco. We’ll find a little hotel where we can hear the ocean. Or a houseboat. I’ve never stayed on a houseboat, have you?”

June’s sobs quieted, her chest rose and fell softly, almost like she was asleep. Ivan held her close and whispered into her hair.

“The waves will rock us to sleep each night, and we’ll eat fresh fish. Maybe even sushi. I heard about that when I was little living in D.C. We’ll ride the streetcars up the hills then run back down. And more, June. We’ll do so much more.”

“Ivan,” she whispered his name.

Ivan held June’s shoulders and moved her so he could look into her face, but she was all shadows. He hugged her close again, and he didn’t want to ever let go.

“I heard your voice,” she said, her own ragged. “I held onto to it. You … you brought me back.”

“I’m here,” he murmured into her hair. He kissed the top of her head then tucked her under his chin. “I’m here, June. I’m so sorry it took me so long, but I’m here.”

June shook her head. “You shouldn’t be, after what I said to you. You have to know ….” She stopped and shuddered. 

“It was Butch,” Ivan answered for her. She shivered again when Ivan said his name, but then he felt her nod. Ivan kissed the top of her head again, then the spot on her temple where she pressed one finger. “We’re safe. You can tell me. What is going on?” 

“He … he made me do something horrible, and he threatened to harm you if I told anyone—” Her voice hitched, but she took a breath and tried to continue. “I’m so weak, Ivan. I couldn’t fight him.”

“You’re not weak,” Ivan said fiercely. “You’re stronger than I would be. How you’ve fought off Butch for so long ….”

June sniffled. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew what I’ve done. I’m … I’m a criminal.”

Ivan blinked away the darkness, confused. “Whatever you’ve done, June … it’s not your fault.”

“But who would believe me?”

“I would. Always.”

June fell against Ivan’s chest and clutched at him. 

“Whatever happened, whatever will happen. June, you must know. I’m in love with you. Completely.”

“I love you too, Ivan,” she whispered into his chest. “It’s about the only thing I know right now. But I
know
it.”

Ivan tilted June’s chin upward and kissed her gently. He kissed her eyelids and her temples and the top of her head before dipping back to her lips. “I love you,” he said against them. 

He wanted to tell her that every day. Every day for the rest of their lives.

“We’ll get through this together,” he promised.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

June

June concentrated on breathing. Three counts in, three counts out. She felt in control of her own mind for the first time in hours. The way Butch had felt inside her head ….

June shook away the awful memories and slowly pulled air in through her nose. It calmed her racing heart. Or, calmed it enough. 

“Can you tell me what happened?” Ivan asked, his voice low and gentle.

Ivan had found a lantern, and they sat close together in the glow. Outside, the wind picked up and the smell of it whistling through the old building snapped with rain. 

The truth was coming out. One way or another, Butch wouldn’t control her anymore. Through the sea of pain from Butch’s assault, it was Ivan’s voice that had been her life raft, his voice that had guided her to safety. And sanity.

Because for those hours since she’d fled home, no longer able to convince her parents she was simply ill, she’d been certain she was going insane. Butch had tried to get her to hurt others, hurt herself. So she’d run to the only place where she knew she wouldn’t be a danger to anyone. 

And now, with Ivan’s strength added to her own, Butch was a storm she would weather. Her head still hurt, there was an insistent pounding between her ears. She could tell: Butch knew she’d thrown him off, and she could only guess at how angry that made him. But her mind was her own.
Her own
. It felt so good.

June looked up at Ivan and took a breath.

“I stole from the bank,” she said. She watched for his reaction, his judgment. It didn’t come.

“You mean, Butch made you steal from the bank.”

“I was a weak enough target,” June said.

Ivan held her hands between his own. “Please don’t think that.”

“Either way,” she said. Now that she’d started talking, sharing these awful secrets, she didn’t want to stop until the whole terrible story was finished. “I used my power to get into the vault, and I stole everything out of Mary Stewart’s deposit box. I tried …,” 

June paused and had to take another deep breath. “I tried to fight him, to take it all back to Clay, but I couldn’t. I gave him everything. When Ms. Stewart checks her box … I’ll be ruined.”

Very suddenly, Ivan sat up tall.

“No,” he said very loudly. “No, you won’t.”

Ivan scrambled to his feet and dragged June up with him. The sudden movement made her headache clang and her eyes blur, but he held June steady.

“I know what to do,” he said, already striding toward the mine’s exit. He held her tightly and smiled down at her. “We’ve got to find Cora.”

A light flicked on in the window above the bakery. Ivan stopped pounding on the door and stepped back.

After a minute, Cora appeared, clothes thrown on haphazardly and confusion marring her brow. She opened the bakery door tentatively, then she laid eyes on June and pulled them both inside.

“Where on earth have you—”

“There’s no time, Cora,” Ivan cut in.

Cora nodded. “I know that. Edith came over here with Mary Stewart demanding to get into the bank, even though it’s a Sunday evening.”

June closed her eyes to hide the fresh rush of tears. They were too late. Despite everything, Butch was going to win. 

But he’d threatened Ivan … his note had promised that if June told anyone, he’d plant the seed in someone suspecting Ivan of the theft. There was no way in hell June was going to let Ivan go down because of her.

“We’ve got to stop them,” she said.

“Edith was saying something about arresting Ivan,” Cora said, flicking her eyes over to Ivan before turning back to June. “Don’t worry, Clay is going to stall. But … what’s happening? After the dance, you both disappeared. We thought ….” She didn’t finish that sentence.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ivan said. “Butch used his power on June, but I think you can help us, Cora. I ran into Danny—”

“Danny Egan?”

“And he said you would know where it’s hidden.”

“Where what’s hidden?” June and Ivan spun around. Clayton stood before them. June hadn’t even heard him come in. 

Clayton crossed the bakery floor with heavy steps and leaned on Cora for support. He stared at June, question in his eyes.

“I …,” she started. Her words failed her. She frowned and stared at her shoes. “I …,” she tried again.

Clayton sighed. “So they weren’t lying. Ms. Stewart’s deposit box is empty.”

June’s head wrenched up. “You saw it?”

“The safe is time-locked for the night, and I refused to use my second vault key to override the lock. But they’ll have easy access to it come morning.”

“It was Butch,” June explained. Cora’s lips compressed to a slit at her brother’s name, but it was Clayton June watched. She hated to see the look of disappointment on his face. He’d vouched for her, helped her get this job. And this was how she repaid him. But he deserved the truth. 

“I didn’t realize it until after, but he was controlling my mind, Clay. He planted this idea—to steal money from the vault—and wouldn’t let me go until I did it.”

Cora frowned, her mouth working back and forth. “And Danny said I’d know where he…,” she trailed off, then her eyes opened wide. “I know!”

“Then come on,” June said, already turning for the door. Outside, the promised storm lashed rain against the bakery windows, but that wasn’t going to deter June. “If Butch planted the thought in Edith’s mind that Ivan broke into the bank, she’s not going to rest until she’s satisfied.”

Clayton peered out the window into the storm. “I told Edith not to go to the authorities, that I would handle this in the morning. Surely she wouldn’t disobey a direct order from me.”

June’s voice hitched high. “I didn’t give a damn that I was stealing from you. I ran through a steel door to do Butch’s bidding.”

Panic flared in Clayton’s eyes and he stepped back from June. Good. At least he knew now.

June was already walking. “Let’s go.”

Ivan caught June’s elbow and stopped her before she could open the door. “Wait.” He pulled her close, though she protested. “June, wait.” He looked into her eyes. “Those bruises, the pain you’re in …. You’re not doing that to yourself, not again. Not for me.”

“I most certainly am, Ivan,” June said. Then she yanked the door wide and stepped out into the storm.

They all shoved into Ivan’s truck, and Cora directed them through town, across the bridge, and into the empty streets on the west side.

The roads were sloppy, and the only real light came from Danny’s repair shop down the street. Cora ordered Ivan to cut the lights and led them slowly down a narrow road in near darkness.

The four of them were silent, just the sound of the wipers
swipe-swiping
away the torrential rain.

“Stop here,” Cora said suddenly. She put her hand on the door, looked over at them. “I’ll just be a couple minutes.”

“Cora,” Clayton started. 

“I’ll be careful,” she said with a smile. Then Cora slipped out the door and disappeared into the darkness.

Their breath fogged the windows, made the air go clammy.

“I’m sorry,” June said to her lap. She steadied herself then looked over at Clayton. “You got me that job, Clay. And then I do something like this. I just … I’m sorry. I want you to know how much I liked working there.”

Clayton frowned. “I hardly think having your mind taken over by a lunatic is grounds for being fired.”

“But how can you ever trust me again?”

Clayton considered this. “You can kick him out? Get him out of your mind?”

June shared a look with Ivan and twined her fingers with his. “I can. At least, Ivan helped me to.”

“Okay,” Clayton said. “Then if you ever get the overwhelming urge to steal again, tell me. Tell Ivan. Tell anyone who can help. We won’t let Butch hurt you like that again.”

“No, we won’t,” Ivan growled.

June wanted to crush both of them to her in a giant hug. Maybe this was all going to be okay. 

The truck door swung open, and Cora tumbled inside. Her hair was dripping wet and her clothes were soaked, but she was carrying the dark green rucksack. 

“Are you okay?” Clayton asked, framing Cora’s face with his hands.

Cora nodded, but leaned into his touch. “He used my old hiding spot around the side of the house. I didn’t have to sneak inside.”

“If it were up to me, you’d never go back there again,” Clayton said, dropping a fierce kiss on her lips.

Ivan started the truck and drove away, and June peeked inside the bag.

“Well?” Clayton asked. 

“It’s all there,” June said, her heart beating fast. 

The end was in sight. Butch had thought he’d win. He’d thought if he isolated June, made her think only of fear, she’d never get out from under him. The storm would rage on. But Butch wasn’t a man who understood real love or trust or forgiveness. She and Ivan were stronger than Butch. He wouldn’t win.

“I can get us into the vault, but past there—” Clayton said, brows raised in June’s direction.

Past there, only her power would get them into the metal deposit box. June’s fingers smarted with the memory of that pain. But for the first time in days, there was a possibility that she and Ivan would be free, that they’d see all those oceans together. It gave her the strength she needed, the strength that had burrowed deep inside of her, afraid of the pain to come. She was absolutely sure of what had to be done. 

“I’ll get us past there.”

The bank was dark and still, and June jumped with every creak. Outside, the storm was passing, but it wouldn’t truly be gone until June had put the money, gold, and diamonds back.

Clayton vaulted up the steps to the upper offices and was gone only a minute. He returned holding a silver key from a chain.

“All these safes are time-locked after hours,” he explained. “It’s to protect from robbery. But we keep an override key only my father and I have access to.”

Clayton handed the second key—the standard vault key—to June. Together, they inserted the keys and turned, and the giant locks disengaged. 

Slowly, slowly, the vault door creaked open. June got a good look at the door as it opened. She’d run
through
this. How was she not dead?

Seeing what she’d survived actually steeled her nerves a bit. If her body could handle
that
, then surely it meant she was the true master of her power. It was hers to control.

June stepped through the vault door, and nearly collapsed.

You are nothing.

Butch was in her mind. In her mind and screaming. The world sucked in, in, in until June was it and it was June. Butch was a howling wind, a beast at the door, and she was sucked back under the tidal wave of his anger.

Weak. Nothing.