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“What are you doing?” I ask, staying by the door.
“What does it look like?” she deadpans. “I’m leaving.” She zips up her backpack and pulls the straps onto her shoulders.
“Why are you leaving?”
“Because I’m not wanted here.” The poor girl is trying her fucking hardest not to cry, and I’m still feeling like the world’s biggest fucking asshole for putting that sad look on her face. It’s a look I never want to see again, and instantly, I’m willing to do anything to put her happy smile back on her face and erase all her sadness.
She reminds me so damn much of Lee.
“I’m sorry, Olivia. Will you please stay here with me?”
“Why?”
“Because I want you here. Rowen, King, Ace, and Lee want you here. They all love you and would be sad if you left.” She keeps a tight grip on the straps of her backpack, pondering the idea for a moment.
“If you want to leave, I’ll give you money. It would be hard for a kid out on the streets, and you’ll be hungry, so I’ll give you money, but I hope you’ll stay instead.”
She gives in to her tears and lets them fall down her rosy cheeks.
“I don’t know where I belong.” She sits on the side of her bed and hangs her head, crying silently.
I sit beside her and place a hand on her back, rubbing it in circles gently.
“You belong here with us, Olivia. I’m very sorry for what I said to you. I should’ve never been mean to you.”
She looks up at me and wipes her tears with the back of her hand. “Can we be friends? I think I need a friend.”
My heart aches for her. This poor little girl’s life has changed so much in a matter of weeks. One second, she was living carefree with Rachel, who was the only mother she’d ever known, then she was watching her mother be violently murdered, and now she’s having to live with three men she doesn’t even know.
King and Rowen took to her quickly, but I’m not surprised. They’ve always loved children and want to be fathers someday, and now’s their chance.
As for Lee, I know this is hard for her, but she’s been doing fantastic. It’s been challenging, and we’re all trying to adjust.
“I really miss my mommy,” Olivia says under her breath with a sad sigh.
“I miss mine too.” Her head turns to me quickly, her eyes wide.
“Did your mommy die, too?”
I nod. “She did. I was older than you when it happened, but yes, she died.”
“Was she killed like mine?”
“No, my mom was sick. She had cancer, and the medicine didn’t work for her.” She takes me by surprise when she places her small hand on my knee, rubbing it just like I’m rubbing her back. “My father was a mean dad, and he didn’t let me say goodbye to my mom before she died.”
“Were you sad?”
“Yes, I was very sad. My mom was an amazing person. She was beautiful and loved everybody. She loved me very, very much.”
She scrunches her face. “Your dad sounds like an asshole.”
I chuckle, looking around me to make sure Lee’s not around to hear Olivia curse. She’s slipped up a few times and said curse words, and each time Lee scolds Rowen, King, Ace, and me, telling us that we have to watch our mouths around Olivia because she likes to repeat our “colorful” language.
Hypocrite. Her mouth is just as filthy as ours.
I don’t care if Olivia says a few bad words; there’s worse things she could do. “Yeah, you’re right. He was an asshole.”
“Did he die too? Did you kill him for being a bad man like you killed the bad man who hurt my mommy?”
