“That’s just Doc. He’s our doctor. He’s going to want to clean up your face. You’ve gashed it pretty well.”
Marla picked up her other hand. “You’ve got lovely nails. Jasmine would have a field day with them. Do you want them painted?”
Charise looked over at Marla. “I… could paint them here?”
Marla smiled and nodded. “Of course. We’ve got lots of colors, too. Jasmine loves doing our nails.”
“Okay,” Charise said softly.
“Can you tell us what happened?” I asked. “Why you got so scared?”
And that was when she looked over at the bowl of lukewarm food sitting on the bedside table.
I didn’t even notice it.
“I’m lactose intolerant,” she said softly as her fearful stare came back to mine. “I thought my food was poisoned.”
Marla made a noise before she spoke. “Did they spike your food and then make you eat your own vomit?”
I slowly looked over at Marla.
The fuck did she just say?
“Yeah,” Charise whispered.
A growl resounded from behind me and Charise practically jumped at me, curling into my arms as I held them open for her.
“Can it, King,” I said flatly.
The growl got swallowed down somewhere behind me.
“I gotcha,” I whispered softly. “I gotcha. You’re okay.”
“I thought he wanted me to get sick again,” she blubbered out against me.
“Never,” I whispered as I held her close, tucking her weeping face into the crook of my neck. “My brother would never do that.”
“None of us would,” Brutus muttered in that low, soft voice of his.
“I’m sorry,” Charise stammered out through her crying.
“Ssshhh, sh, sh, sh, sh,” I said softly. “Nothing to be sorry about. You’re okay. You’re safe here. And we’re going to take care of you.”
“Would you like me to try warming up the food in the bowl for you?” I asked softly.
Charise’s stomach answered against mine before she did, so I peeked over at Marla. “Could you…?”
Marla nodded. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”
I just stood there, holding Charise while Marla scooped up the bowl of food. She whisked it out of the room, and within minutes, she was back with an ice-cold glass of water and a piping hot bowl of rice and vegetables.
“Here,” Marla said as I slowly peeled Charise away from me, “want me to take a bite and show you it’s not poisoned?”
Charise peeked over at her before she nodded. “Yes, please.”
Marla took a bite before handing me the bowl. She chewed and swallowed while I took a bite as well, and Charise watched us like fucking hawks. Marla swallowed and opened her mouth, even going so far as to lift her tongue, so I did in kind.
Then and only then did I see Charise relax.
