Page 38 of Holly

I was so fucking afraid of this man. He said as he helped me through the door, "See, Daddy's little miracle solution is wearing off."

"Is Harper here?" I asked.

Ripley leaned against the door and said, "I've never given this woman anything."

Apollo snickered and said, "You're not her Daddy, or mine, you asshole. Her father is the great reprogramer of all time. Makes everyone believe what he wants them to. Manipulates all sorts of things in that brain."

I looked around, hoping she would pop out at any moment. "I need to see—"

"Why?" he asked. He gave me a look that let me know he was not planning to ask twice.

I closed my eyes and said, "I need to see if there are any products here, in this house. The bunnies in our house won't talk to me except Autumn and she's not there. I just need something so I can get to the store."

Ripley laughed and said, "Yeah, man. You handle it for her."

He left us in the kitchen and Apollo said, "I don't know. Probably one of the bathrooms?"

"Thank you." I ducked into the one on the first floor and found a box of tampons. I was so relieved. When I left the bathroom, I found Apollo waiting for me. "I got one. Thank you."

"I'll walk you to your car." He indicated the door. I gulped. Fear rolled through me, and I couldn't move my feet but really wanted to. He shook his head and said, "I'm not going to hurt you, Holly."

I found a breath, took it, and started walking. We were halfway to my car when he said, "I'm probably not going to have to hurt you."

I stopped. He laughed and said, "Come on, Holly. I was teasing." I took a few steps. He said, "Mostly." I stopped. He laughed again. I fucking hated Apollo. How could she possibly love this monster? "Move, Holly. You're taking the fun out of it."

I didn't find it fun or him funny at all.

Then he dropped the real bomb on me and said, "I do need to talk to you. It's about Winston. You're gonna have to share him with Thalia Moretti."

My eyes went wide. "No. What? Why? Don't. Just...give my brain a moment to catch up to my mouth."

"Getting smarter without that programing, too." He winked. "Let's just say your dad has daughter issues he can't control. Her dad...probably needs to control his daughter. She's a real diva with a capital D. Daddy's little girl doesn't have competition. She gets what she wants because he gets rid of anything in her way. Understand?"

"Winston?" I hated the way that came out. Apollo roared with laughter, and I shook my head. "No. I don't mean to sound like he doesn't deserve a fight, but...he's Winston. Plays video games, on the math team, has one particular mischievous bone in his body, but he's a sweetheart, innocent."

Apollo really smiled then and said, "I love that guy. Looks like an angel, acts like the devil." He had a bit of a secret smile as he said, "I guess he takes after his momma after all."

"I don't know what you're talking about. His parents are dead." I blinked. Did he lie about that?

Apollo shook his head and said, "Yeah. That sucked. No. I meant Harpy. Which leads me to say this. You can carry on with Winston in private. Maybe double date, you and the big guy and her and Winston so she doesn't have a reason to complain about you back home. Okay?" I nodded. "Okay. For what it's worth, he's only agreeing to be with her to keep anyone from hurting you. Again."

It was worth a lot. "I guess I should be really glad I already know most of the curriculum this semester. I'm learning a lot. None of it in a classroom."

"Don't I know that pain." He winked and then walked away.

I felt the cramp and got into my car and went to get products for a period I had hoped to avoid. I did read up that the shot could take a while to work, and it did not eliminate cycles for everyone. On my way, I voice dialed Winston and said, "I know what you have to do. Bring her to the party. She'll see me with Stormy, and it will be okay."

"I haven't even had a chance to tell you. How the—who?"

"You have to know this next part, too, so. Stormy is sleeping and I needed some products neither of you have. Autumn is not working today. The bunnies won't talk to me. I had to ask Harpy and now I know you have to have that contract with her and me and I have cramps like I have never had in my life, but I will be there. You can count on me, okay?" I needed to start stepping up in this little group. They had already done a lot for me, and I really needed to start doing for them.

"Holly." He didn't say anything, so I imagined he was trying to think it through.

"It's a year, Winston. I don't want to know what you do with Thalia other than you’d better keep it covered, and use the things that Stormy had, and lie to me if you don't because I...I've never had anything that someone couldn't take from me. Not even my own life, so...I'm just going to pretend that I still have you, and him, and her, and that I'm still holding onto some control here. Okay?" I felt the tears slip. This really was all just a series of unusual events and I lucked out and crapped out at every table I stepped up to. I was gambling with my sanity as much as my life these days.

"Okay. We'll talk more later, okay?" he asked, and I smiled though he couldn't see it. "It's going to be okay."

"I believe you." I was lying. I thought the only thing that was going to be okay was my female situation because I was also going to pick up some extra strength menstrual relief in addition to products.

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