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RHETT
Ihad no idea whatto expect from Fiona. She looked normal enough in the videos, except her eyes were always closed. They’re the same way now as I carry her down the hallway. I guess I could let her walk, but she’s really slow, and I keep worrying she’ll fall.
Fiona’s not as messed up as I expected. Somehow, that makes today worse. She’s aware of more than I thought. I kinda figured she might be simple-minded. Then, Fiona wouldn’t know what she was missing. Like when I didn’t know my family was having fun upstairs. That was way better than when I could hear them.
The pool room is quiet and dark with the only lights coming from under the water. Seeing how protective Irina is of Fiona makes me paranoid about doing anything wrong.
I settle Fiona into a chair and take the one next to her. The dog watches us while she faces me with her eyes closed. I don’t know what she wants to share. I figure she might pull a power move and keep me from Irina.
Of course, I have no interest in telling this tiny broken chick to fuck off. However, if she interferes with Irina and me, I’ll say or do whatever necessary. No one is keeping me from making a life with my woman.
“Is it bright in here?” Fiona asks, sounding panicked.
“No. The room is nearly dark.”
Fiona carefully cracks open her eyes. She covers one and then opens the other a bit more. Finally, her gaze focuses on me.
A smile brightens her face. “Eagle,” she whispers, sounding like a kid.
Leery of this conversation, I only nod.
“You love Irina,” she adds softly.
I don’t answer, afraid she’s about to try and steal something important from me. I remember when Asshole Lloyd would start his speeches with “I know you love your mom, but...”
When I realize Fiona is waiting for me to answer, I nod and mutter, “Yes.”
“She’s wonderful,” Fiona says as she strokes the dog’s head. “Loyal and tenderhearted. But she’s not perfect.”
“I know,” I mumble, unable to settle down.
“She hides from her problems. That’s why she needed me when we met. Her life was a mess, and she couldn’t deal with the pain. Focusing on my dysfunction distracted from hers.”
“Facing pain isn’t easy.”
“No, but Irina used to ignore how evil my mother was. She’d put those fears deep inside her and close the door. She’s doing that now with Jimbo.”
That name breaks through my sullen mood. “Is he threatening her?”
“Rejection is painful, even for people with black hearts like my brother. You saw how terribly Marky reacted.”
“He was a piece of shit.”
“Every member of the Rogers family is that way. We can’t help ourselves. We’re born with something vital missing inside us. Men like my father accept their dark hearts and seek out vile companions. People say Ashley is beautiful. I know my mother was. But inside they’re vicious and cold. That’s why he likes them.”
