Rule felt as if his muscles had atrophied. His body wouldn’t even respond to the taunting voices. “Oh,” was all he could say.
Biting her lip, Bianca’s shoulders slumped. “I want you to be happy for…” She swallowed and her lower lip trembled. “I don’t want to leave yet, especially to go back to…him.”
We hate her.
Rule reached across the table and grabbed Bianca’s slim hand. “Why didn’t you tell me before now?”
He tried not to feel hurt or betrayed, but he couldn’t help it.
“I’ve been meaning to, but I didn’t want to bum you out until it was set in stone.”
“That’s good news,” he said, something he recognized, even though he didn’t like it. “I’m happy for you.”
“I’m not,” she grumbled, resuming their game and taking a block out of the increasingly wobbly tower. She shuddered. “Angela is a bitch, my Dad is a strict simp, and George is a pervert. I’m still not over him stealing my panties.”
Gripping the edge of the table, Rule bit his tongue to stop himself from saying something he shouldn’t. It didn’t stop anger and jealousy from swirling within him. Anger, because how dare anyone make Bianca’s life difficult? Shewas his ray of sunshine and deserved nothing but the best. And jealousy, because how dare anyone else have something so intimate of hers?
“Give her their heads as gift,”that voice hissed.Itwas unwanted; the words were not.
Dread swelled within him. He was supposed to report any incidents with his…former friends, but he wasn’t looking forward to admitting that he was regressing again. While he was undeniably better, his progress hadn’t been linear, unlike Bianca’s. He’d had a handful of setbacks, and it seemed another one was on the horizon.
Dr. Patricks wanted to increase his meds because Rule told him about random incidents where his friends visited, but Father Wilkins convinced the psychiatrist to change his prescriptions. It wasn’t working out as well. Rule realized his nightmares were returning, too. He hated to disappoint the priest, who swore Rule could still follow in his footsteps.
His growing feelings for Bianca warred with his loyalty to Father Wilkins and the dreams Rule once had. Dr. Patricks gave him coping techniques but Father Wilkins suggested Rule meditate and pray.
Bianca picked up her Scooby Doo jacket from where she’d thrown it on the empty chair and put it on. “I don’t want to leave. And I’ll really fucking miss you. All my friends ditched mewhen my mom died. I was lost in grief, and they moved on.”
“Then they weren’t real friends,” Rule stated, taking a cue from her and resuming the game. “They were fakes.”
Before Bianca responded, Freya came to the table, ending the conversation. She smiled at Bianca, who waved at her.
“Father Wilkins told me to come get you,” Freya said, tucking a strand of freshly dyed blue hair behind her ear.
“Why?” Rule asked suspiciously, unable to forget when the little man tried to intercept a visit from his mother and sister.
He adored Father Wilkins, but that stunt had hurt Rule. The priest knew how much Rule had wanted to see them, but for whatever reason, he still tried to prevent the visit.
“Don’t worry, it’s not like last time,” Freya reassured him. “Well, it is, sorta.” She beamed a smile, seeming about to burst from excitement. “Your mother and sister are on the way.”
Rule gasped, afraid she was pranking him.
Sluts! Whores!
Clapping his hands over his ears, Rule closed his eyes, his heart starting a frantic beat. He feared the voices would make him ruin the visit when he’d missed Mom and Reb so much.
Freya hurried to him. “Tell them to go away,” she said in a harsh whisper. “They have no power over you.”
“I’m scared,” Rule told her, his voice trembling. “I don’t want them to make me—”
“Here.” Bianca pressed something into his hand and closed his fist around it.
Freya stood in front of him, so he couldn’t see Bianca, but her warm, sweet scent soothed him.
“Squeeze it,” she told him.
It was soft and frayed, small. He suspected it was the faded little bunny hugging a small carrot. It was one of the last Easter basket gifts her mother gave to her. Bianca usually kept it in one of her pockets. Rule didn’t want to ruin it.
Freya tightened her grip on him. “Tell them, sweetheart. You’re brave. Don’t let them win.”
