“I’d take him, too. If need be.”
“She’ll be by sooner or later anyhow.” Reports, and all that.
“Tell her Scarlett will take the boy. He’s a teenager. She’s good with ‘em.” He repeated. Then, he made his excuse to leave, reminding me about the meds he’d left in my kitchen.
I didn’t bother to walk him out. Instead, I slipped off my shoes and sat on the bed next to the boy.
“I’m so sorry.” I ran a hand through his hair, and as though he knew it was me, he relaxed against the bed. “I’m sorry for sending you away. I promise you can stay here.”
No one had ever gotten into my heart like this boy. I had to keep that wall up in place because work didn’t need to fall over the line in my personal life. But I’d let Dakota stay. It wasn’t worth the risk of trying to find him a safe place. Not when the world seemed to want to hurt him.
I had no clue how I was going to get him to see that his needs were more important than trying to please me. But I’d figure out a way.
“Sir. Don’t….please…..no…..hurts.”
“Shh, boy,” I let my hand trail down to his neck as I lay beside him. “I’m right here and not going anywhere.”
Once more, he settled, but his breathing was still slightly uneven.
I wanted to take all the pain and torture for him. I’d gladly accept it if he let me.
Chapter 22
Dakota
The pain woke me up. At first, I was able to ignore it. It was just a small twinge. Something I had there constantly. It wasn’t too bad until I rolled over just slightly, and my entire torso was pressed against something.
I cinched my eyes tight, willing myself not to make a sound. Crying was for the weak. I wasn’t a baby, despite what happened.
Taking a deep breath in, it got lodged into my chest for a moment before I could force my body to relax. Only then did the stabbing pain edge away. Not nearly enough, but I could think through the pain momentarily.
With another deep breath came the smell of clean sheets. It wasn’t the same as the house I was in.
Where was I? What happened?
All at once, my body stiffened, and my lungs refused to work with me.
I tried to remember what happened after I was hit in the hallway. All I could remember was so much pain. And then too many people. I’m pretty sure I freaked out, too.
“You’re safe.” That voice was not anyone I knew.
I managed to get a grunt out, but I knew I wasn’t safe. I didn’t know where I was, who that was, or what happened. The word safe wasn’t something I was ever going to say I was.
Tears stung the corner of my eyes as I fought my rising panic. My thoughts swirled, and the pain increased as my body wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and die.
“Please don’t…” whoever it was trailed off, fighting back tears themselves.
It wasn’t like I could just stop it. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’d rather be numb, but apparently, my body didn’t agree.
My stupid body had gotten used to a small dose of niceness while in Sir’s care, and now it all exploded on me. It always did.
I shouldn’t have let Sir be so kind. I should have known things weren’t going to be better anywhere, even if he said it was. I should-
“Dakota?”
The rushing sound through my head instantly quieted at that voice. I went from being on the edge of something I loathed to stepping into the calmest waters ever.
I wanted to turn, to lay my eyes on the man, but what if he wasn’t real? What if I was only dreaming?
