“Do we need to take you to the hospital?” I ask her.
“No.” She shakes her head. “No, please. I’ll get in trouble.”
“Hey, you listen to me, okay? You’re withme. Lettie. And you’ll never be in trouble for anything ever again because you’re safe. You’re safe, sweet girl.”
Her lip quivers, and she lets out a deep sigh, as if she’s been holding it for seven years.
“I don’t need the hospital. But will you sleep with me tonight?”
“Just try kicking me out.” I wink at her and kiss her cheek, but with my free hand, I reach for my husband.
His fingers immediately take mine, and I squeeze.
“Thank you.”
“You never have to thank me.”
Forty-Four
VIOLET
“This is Dr. Asgood,” I say to my sister as the doctor strides into the living room less than an hour later.
When we got back to the penthouse, the other girls were already gone. Their guys got here ahead of us to collect them, so it’s just Rose, Mateo, and Diego here with me. Rose doesn’t seem to want to let Diego out of her sight, and I know she’s in shock.
“Hello,” Dr. Asgood says with a kind smile as she sits on the coffee table across from us. Rose is still clinging to my hand and continues to silently cry. “I’m so very glad that you’ve been found.”
Rose nods and swallows hard.
“Obviously, you’ll need a nice shower to get this soot off you,” Dr. Asgood continues. “Do you mind if I listen to your lungs, Rose? I want to make sure you didn’t inhale too much smoke.”
“I don’t mind,” Rosie whispers and sits stoically as the doctor listens with her stethoscope. She follows direction when asked to inhale deeply, and then the doctor nods in satisfaction.
“I think your lungs sound perfect. Do you have any injuries aside from what’s on your face?”
Rose shakes her head.
“Have you had any illnesses in the past seven years that went without proper medical treatment?”
Rosie frowns and glances at me.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe here.”
“I had to have my appendix out a few years ago and almost died because he thought I was faking it.” She swallows hard, and I have to breathe to get through the anger that sears through me. “And ...”
Her eyes fill with tears again, and she glances down at her hands.
“And I don’t have a period anymore b-because he m-made me have a h-hys?—”
She can’t finish the sentence, and Dr. Asgood sighs.
“I understand,” she says softly. “I’m so so sorry, Rose.”
My eyes climb to Mateo’s, and his whole face is a mask of pure rage. I don’t know if they managed to kill the son of a bitch. I don’t know anything at all because Rose has clung to me every second since the moment that I got there, and I haven’t had the chance to ask questions.
“Perhaps you and I can meet again in a few days once you have your bearings and start to feel a little better?”
“Okay,” Rose whispers and then buries her face in my shoulder, and I turn to kiss her head.
