Kristiane Charles-Oliver and Decker Charles-Oliver.
Articles about their pro-bono work are at the top of the list, lavishing them in praise for helping sexual assault victims get justice. Where’s my fucking justice for saving the fuckers?
“It’s time they paid the price for it,”Asher whispers in my ear.
58
DELILAH
Icrawl along the threadbare carpet, following the soft laughter in front of me as Kane says, “Are my girls having fun?”
Our baby girl jumps up to her feet as she quickly nods. She has the same soft curls her daddy had when he was younger, but her hair isn’t the same color as either of ours. It’s a soft brown, making her different than us, better.
He lowers to his haunches, ready to catch her while she runs at him, still giggling. “Momma can’t catch me!”
When she gets closer, there’s a loud crack.
Like all of the other times, they’re stolen from me. I fight to keep them, lashing out as someone grabs my shoulders, shaking me, spraying something up my nose. I need my family.
“It’s okay, little doe.”
“Lenny?” I croak as he gently strokes my hair away from my clammy skin.
“Shh, I’m not here, little doe.”
“You aren’t?” I whisper, focusing on his gloves brushing my forehead.
He slowly shakes his head as he leans back, allowing me to see the rest of the vast dormitory-style room I’ve been in since Rowan brought me to this place. “You were supposed to run.”
“I thought it was you.”
He looks even older than the last time I saw him, despite his usual perfectly tailored suit. It takes me a moment to recognize why, but when I do I’m still confused at the deep sadness in his pale eyes. Is it my own reflected back to me?
“Have you been in the Rooms?” he asks.
I nod, slow, once, incapable of more.
Lenny is even slower as he looks down my body, his eyes widening a fraction when he notices the needle sticking out of my arm. His nostrils flare as he carefully presses two fingers to the inside of my elbow. My tears are even slower than either of our movements as he removes the only thing I have to be with my family.
All my life I’ve been alone. My sisters left me, Asher isolated me, my parents never wanted me. Now, when I finally have people who want me, Lenny takes away my transport to them. I know how to get more so I wipe my eyes as I sit up. “Can I have more after?”
“After?” he asks with a small crease between his brows. Then shakes his head. “I’m not taking you into the Rooms. This,” he holds up the needle, “will not happen again.”
“I need more.” I try to snatch it from him, but he brushes me away with his forearm. “Lenny, please?”
There’s a little bit left in the barrel. I’ll be able to go back to Kane and our baby girl. She’ll be giggling while he blows raspberries on her cheek. Maybe this time I’ll be able to feel them instead of chasing them.
“No more.” He snaps the glass barrel, wasting the last bit. He may as well have crushed my heart in his fist.
I claw at his shirt, attempting to crawl over him to catch the small drops. But as my fingers brush his neck, he turns rigid and throws me against the bed. With a face full of disgust, he stands as I kick out at him, seething, “This is your fault. You promised to look after us. You let her die! Now you’re killing me!”
The seams of his gloved fingers scrape my ankle as he grabs my leg in a bruising grip. My dress slips as he lifts my leg higher, exposing the deep, jagged scarring crossing over my uneven calf.
“Did I kill you?” He pointedly looks at the scarring. “Or did I make sure you survived?” He drops my leg with the same disgust etched into his features he’d have when Helene would inspect me.
“Please help me again.” My tears fall without anything to take me back to Kane. “Please, Lennox. I just want them back, please help me.”
He lowers to his haunches beside me, smoothing his hand over my hair. “They no longer exist.”
