“Always.”
Talon steps in. “The neighbors dropped in.” He moves to the side, revealing Vex and Dahlia.
I step in front of Daria and Gemma, protecting them from Vex.
“I came to bring my sister and niece home.” Vex grunts when Dahlia elbows him in the stomach. “They’re coming home with us, Dahl. Sweetums would want to know that I’m protecting them.”
Gemma pulls free and runs up to the giant of a man. “Do you know where my momma is?”
Vex sinks down to almost her level. “No, I don’t. But I’m going to find her.”
“My momma said she was going to smush a spider to make me safe, but then she never came back. Did the spider get her?”
“No. She smushed the spider, then she got lost.”
Gemma puts a hand on Vex’s cheek. “But you’re going to find her for me.”
“Yes, I am. However long it takes.”
“That makes you the hero. Momma told me her brother was her hero. Could you be mine?”
“Until the day I die.”
I am not going to cry.
I am not going to cry.
All of this is too much. I need…Max. Without hesitating, I walk to him, wanting him to wrap his arms around me and share his strength with me. To make me feel safe. That no matterwhat stupid idea I come up with, he’ll always be there to catch me, so I don’t fall…at least not too hard.
As I step towards him, Max wraps the blanket around me.
The blanket that covered my outfit. The blanket that hid who I am from the world.
And everyone in my world can see the filth on me.
They know…They know.
“If you’ll excuse me for a little bit, I think I’ll shower and get changed for dinner.” Head held high, I walk to my bedroom. Racing faster and faster to get to the shower.
I just need to clean it off.
I just need to clean their hands off my body.
I just need to clean the filth off.
Get them off…
The Shower
Max
That was weird. Everything was going good until Fiona walked over to me. Then it was like a switch went off, and she got all stiff and formal.
My Fiona is warm and friendly.
Is something wrong? Did all the events of the day just hit her? Or was this some sort of post-traumatic event?
Why are there so many people in my house when something is wrong with my woman?
