I go to my top cupboard and search through the back. Well, at least Mercedez didn’t find Milly’s underwear. I’m sure that would set her off even worse.
I head downstairs, looking for Milly. I spot Mercedez in the lounge with the other sweet butts, watching TV. I look around but don’t see Milly, so I go outside.
Milly’s sitting at a table, watching Ava, Hope, Elena, and Ivy’s little one, Sammy, playing on the playground. I walk up to her. She flashes me a sweet smile, and it hits me right in the chest. Fuck, she’s beautiful. I take a seat. “We have a problem.”
Her eyes bulge. “What’s wrong?”
I put my hand out, showing her her earring. “Missing something?”
She grabs it. “Where did you find it? I’ve been looking everywhere.”
“Mercedez found it,” I say, cringing. “In my bed.”
Milly’s face falls. “She didn’t?”
“Oh, she did, and she threatened to tell Reaper.”
Milly looks away, blinking rapidly. I raise my hand to touch her cheek, but I force it back down. We can’t have anyone suspecting anything. “Don’t cry, pretty lady. All she’s got is an earring from my room. We’re friends. You could have been in there for a chat.”
She swallows hard. “If Reaper asked me point-blank if I slept with you, I don’t think I could lie to him.”
I get that. I don’t think I could lie to him either, even if telling the truth was to my detriment. “I’ll make sure she keeps her mouth shut. I warned her I’d get her banned if she touches me again, so we have this deal where we keep each other’s secrets.”
Milly inches back, studying me. “What do you mean ‘banned if she touched youagain’? What did she do?” Her voice is hard.
“Wow! Remind me not to get on your bad side,” I joke to lighten the mood.
Her lip twitches.
“Mercedez pushed me in the chest out of anger.” It’s better than a slap, I guess.
Milly shakes her head. “If she touches you again, tell me!”
Something tells me Milly might actually lay hands. She’s not one to put up with shit, but it will cause a scene and everyone will want to find out why they’re arguing. So I can’t really tell her if it happens again. Still, it feels good she cares.
Milly’s phone rings. She pulls it out of her pocket. “Milly speaking.” A pause. “Yes, sure. I’ll be right in.” She looks at me, scoots out of the chair. “Work called me in again. There’s sickness running rampant throughout the hospital, and we’re short-staffed.”
“You work too much.” I never see her take part in a hobby or enjoy life.
She pauses. “Yes, I do.”
“Go save some lives.”
She gives me a genuine smile. “Can we talk about this more later?”
I nod. “Sure.”
As I watch her leave, pride rises in my chest at her accomplishments. Her life at the hospital, dealing with life and death every day, must be so stressful. I can’t imagine it, but she does an impressive job not bringing it home. Sometimes she’s tired or quieter than normal, but most of the time she’s smiling.
I frown. Am I going to be the reason she loses her only family? Am I selfish enough to keep this going? I don’t think Reaper would disown her. I’d be the one punished. But I don’t know for sure, and it’s starting to eat at me. Still... I can’t say no to Milly. Whatever she wants, she gets. She’s my deadly obsession.
* * *
Milly
My head is spinningout of control like a cyclone. Mercedez knows... or at least suspects. Out of all the people who live in the clubhouse, she’s in the top two I wouldn’t want to know. Now she can manipulate us, and she’s exactly that type of woman—the kind who’ll do anything to get her own way. Two of her closest sweet butt friends who used to live in the clubhouse caused all sorts of trouble for Ava and bullied Elena. They say you are who you hang around with, and it’s true.
I shove my bag into my locker, harsher than necessary.
