“No, he doesn’t,” Jimmy said, his foot on Zach’s hand as he kicked the knife away with the other. Sirens wailed in the distance as cars screeched to a stop in front of the house.
“Thank you,” I told Jimmy, my voice evening out as my windpipe relaxed.
“You’re very welcome. I said we wouldn’t let him hurt you, right?”
I managed a weak smile as Jimmy dragged a limp Zach toward the door, the desperation that had his hands squeezing around my neck only minutes ago now dissipated into despair.
“I’m sorry,” I said to Lee. “He snuck up behind me?—”
“Do not apologize,” he said, taking my face in his hands. “It’s over, and he’s never going to hurt you again.”
I reached up to grab Lee’s hands and touched something wet.
“You’re bleeding,” I said, flipping his hand over. His knuckles were swollen and raw, but I wasn’t sure if that was Zach’s blood or his.
“I’m fine. I’m just sorry I didn’t come home sooner.”
“I’m sorry I left. I’m sorry I brought this to your house. And Bennie, oh my God, what if she’d been home?” I dropped my face into my hands, my neck still sore as I swallowed a sob.
“You didn’t bring us anything. We want you here because we love you.” He tightened his hold as the police cuffed Zach and dragged him off the floor. “We’ll sort the rest out later.”
We needed to sort it out right now.
I’d already wasted too much time.
THIRTY-FOUR
LEE
“Diane and I made so many cookies,” Bennie mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate chip cookie. “We have lemon ones too, and she even knows how to make caramel icing. She said I could help with more when I come back to their house.”
Stella smiled at me as Bennie went on, thankfully unaware and spared from the scariest twenty minutes of my life. Diane and Jimmy had picked her up from school and had stayed with her all afternoon and evening while I’d taken Stella to the ER and sat with her as she’d given her statement to the police.
I’d been concerned when the alarm company had called me, but when Jimmy had raced to my car to tell me he thought Stella was in trouble inside, I’d barely shut off the engine before I’d jumped out and crawled in the basement window. It was a battle to creep up the steps softly enough not to be seen but fast enough to get to her before she was hurt. My heart had plummeted into my stomach when I found that asshole leaning over her with his hands around her neck.
If Jimmy hadn’t pulled me back, I’d be in jail right now because Zach would be dead.
He hadn’t done any damage to her throat or arteries from what the ER tests had shown since we’d gotten there in time, but all I could think about was what would have happened if I’d shown up ten minutes later.
What I would have lost.Again.
As soon as Bennie was in bed, we needed to talk. I still didn’t know what exactly had upset Stella so much, but I was pretty fucking certain I couldn’t lose her. I loved her and she belonged here, and I would convince her if it took the rest of my damn life.
“Could we bake too, Stella?”
“We could, but I only know how to make cookies out of a tube.”
“Diane and I could teach you.”
“When I feel better, I will totally let you guys teach me.” Stella pulled Bennie onto her lap. “We can think about all the fun stuff we can do this summer too.”
“I havesomany ideas,” Bennie said as she hopped off Stella’s lap. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
I cringed when Bennie threw her arms around Stella’s neck.
“It’s okay,” she mouthed to me and hugged Bennie back.
“Are you feeling better?”
