Luckily for her, our family specialized in that. It finally gave me a path to take in this chess game we’ve been playing.
The King rescuing his Queen from the too powerful pawns. She just didn’t realize they were pawns yet, she would though. I would help her see it.
“Healing,” I answered.
“Are you going to save them?”
My heart skipped a beat, my eyes shooting to hers, finding them staring directly into mine. Blue and brown and green surrounded by blood. Wide with fire and worry. “Yes,” I said without thought, too caught up in the fact that she had saidsomething tome, that I didn’t consider how difficult it would be. I didn’t care. God, I’d seek out and rip apart every goddamn pedophile in this world if it meant she would just keep talking to me.
She searched my eyes for a moment before turning back to Evelyn and Cam.
Evelyn gave me a soft smile before her attention returned to my girl.
“Well,” Malachi said on a breath as Olivia finally took Evelyn’s hand, allowing her to pull her up. “That is a good sign. I suppose we’ve got another job then. I’ll let Jack know.”
My eyes were locked on her as they led her towards the bathroom and finally closed the door behind her.
She spoke to me. She fucking spoke to me.
31
Olivia
October 30th, 2022
Evelyn had taken me home yesterday.
I cleaned myself up and settled back into the routine that I had been in for the last few weeks.
A bottle of wine, mindless television, Lucy laying on my right, Merlin on my shoulder, and Rover clutched to my stomach.
Tomorrow was Halloween, and I knew how much Rae loved Halloween. Evelyn had already told me that she was planning on stopping by tomorrow with some movies and candy. Terrifying movies, she promised.
Despite what happened yesterday, I was looking forward to it, to seeing her again. I remembered to tell her ‘happy birthday’ on October 19th, and she had said that the party wouldn’t happen for a little while longer. I wondered why shewas putting it off, only to realize that she and Jack were still searching for the man who was going to buy me.
Mr. Alascer.
I should tell them. I really should, but Azrael was smart, cunning. It continued to make me hesitate.
Evelyn and Emily had settled down to watch television with me, the smell of popcorn filling the air as we enjoyed the trash tv. Tonight, they didn’t try to push me into talking. They didn’t try and force me into pointless conversations, they just allowed me to be, which I truly appreciated.
I didn’t feel as unsettled as I had the last time I had killed someone. Was I getting used to it? Was that something I should accept? Everett hadn’t looked scared, but I couldn’t even remember how close I had come to killing him. What if he had pushed me? Would I have come out of that fog and found him dead on the ground?
My grip tightened around Rover. I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.
The door opened behind us, the steps near silent.
Evelyn and Emily looked up, both of their eyes widening, a smile spreading across Emily’s face as Evelyn looked between the two of us and laughed. “Holy shit,” she said.
My eyes flicked from her to Everett as he made his way to the chair adjacent to me and fell into it, the light from the television lighting up his features.
Not just his features, but the new cellophane around his neck.
His icy blue eyes found mine, my brows pulling together in confusion.
His gaze flicked to my lips and back. “Had to commemorate the day my girl had the guts to choke me,” he explained, his voice hoarse.
My eyes widened as he turned back to the television, my lipsparting in shock. He…he didwhat?
