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First victim of The Babysitter attacked in school’s locker room shower stall. Did she try to boil herself to distract from the incest with her stepbrother or her suspected illicit relationship with her kidnapper?
At this point,nothing will be a surprise.
Dad pulls straightinto the garage, where we find Mom's GLS 580 in its spot. Den and Wes are already waiting in the kitchen, and Lilly's best friend is by her side as soon as she follows me through the garage door.
Reluctantly, I let go of Lilly’s hand as Denielle leads her upstairs without a word, which leaves me with Wes and my parents in uncomfortable silence.
"Where is Nat?" Now that we’re home and the tension leaves me like air out of an untied balloon, I realize that my little sister is nowhere in sight. I grimace. I was so preoccupied with Lilly that Natty's absence completely escaped me. I’m a shit brother.
"She went home with Olivia after school," Mom explains. "I’m going to pick her up in a few minutes. We didn’t want her to have to sit in the hospital."
I nod at no one in particular and silently promise to make more of an effort with my little sister. I need to be there for her as well.
Dad walks over to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of water. "Camden arranged for Lilly to give her statement tomorrow morning." He takes a sip. "A police officer will be here at eight o’clock. I want all of you to be there."
"All?" Wes’s croaked question makes it clear that he did not anticipate that.
"Yes. You are all witnesses," my mother clarifies in her attorney voice then amends more emotionally, "Whoever did this to my daughter will be charged with the max penalty we can demand." Her stern gaze lands on me, and I have a hunch she suspects my ex to be involved somehow.
"I'll make sure she's ready," is all I say before walking past them and up the stairs. I hear Dad tell Wes that their parents are aware of him and Denielle spending the night. Mom says something I don't understand, and Wes mumbles a response. By the time I step on the landing on the second floor, he's beside me.
"Dude, I thought your dad was scary, but your mom almost made me piss myself just now. She makes the chick from The Ring look like your girl next door. Kat will regret fucking with your family."
I snort a laugh. "Tell me about it."
Entering Lilly's bedroom with Wes on my heels, we find Lilly sitting on the edge of her bed with Denielle squatting in front of her, holding each other's hands. Both girls have tears running down their cheeks, and an instant knot forms in my stomach.
Den turns and launches herself at me. "I’m so sorry!"
I'm shocked by her sudden attack, we stumble backward, and Wes puts his hand in the middle of my back to stop us from falling over. My eyebrows knit together as I try to comprehend what she's apologizing for. Lilly meets my gaze, but I'm no closer to understanding.
"D, let the man go to his woman." Wes carefully pries her away from me and envelops her in a tight hug, where she completely breaks down, holding onto him like a lifeline. Denielle sobs into his shoulder. I've never seen her this way.
I slowly make my way over to the bed and sit down, taking Lilly’s hand in mine. I was about to drape my arm over her shoulder as usual but caught myself at the last moment.
We watch our friends, and Lilly whispers, "She blames herself for leaving me."
My head jerks to her. "That’s ridiculous. If someone is to blame, it’s Kat and whomever she got to do it." My tone is way harsher than I intended. I glance at Denielle to make sure she knows my rage is not directed at her.
She has calmed down some and turned in Wes’s embrace to face us. "I’m sorry, Rhys. I shouldn’t have left."
I grind my teeth, hating that she thinks she is to blame in any way. I stretch my hand out, and Wes nudges her toward me. When she's within reach, I grasp her hand. "D, no one blames you for any of this. And if anyone ever so much as suggests that, you tell me, and I’ll sic good ol' George on them for some fun torture time. He'll have a blast." I wink at her, and a half laugh, half sob bubbles up in her throat.
Wes steps beside her. "Did you see who did..."—he hesitates mid-sentence—"it?"
Denielle levels each of us before speaking. "There were four. I recognized three. The fourth bolted as soon as I came in. Only one was a cheerleader. Two juniors. The third was a sophomore. I've seen all of them suck up to the Wicked Bitch before."
Where Wes exclaims a string of curse words, Lilly and I remain quiet. I don't have it in me to get the names of everyone involved right now, and it seems neither does Lilly.
She sighs. "I’m exhausted."
I take that as her cue that she wants to get some rest, and I scoot back until my head hits the pillows on her bed. Lilly follows me and drapes herself over my chest, tucking her fingers between me and the mattress. Having her this close, an instant sense of peace settles in my chest. Her head is nestled under my chin, and I try to figure out where to place my hands when the hospital gown she’s still wearing falls open. Wes flinches, and Den's eyes widen, but neither of them say anything.
After a beat of silence, it’s clear that Lilly is done for the day. Our friends slowly turn and head to my room, leaving both doors ajar.
