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I pick her up and hug her as tightly as I can. I didn’t know how much I needed this until now. I kiss her head and walk over to the table and sit down. I’m fully aware I’m being watched, but surprisingly, it doesn’t bother me.
“Mama El, look! I got mo—drina to come out. I told you I’d make her feel better.” Dillon shouts proudly.
I hear Elvira sniffle before telling him,“You sure did. Why don’t you go play with the others so I can talk to Audrina?”
“Okay.” he gives me one more hug and runs off. My eyes follow him until he’s gone before I turn back to everyone in the kitchen. When Baby Girl realizes her brother has taken off, she climbs off me and chases after him.
“Well, I’m happy to see you out of that room.”
I give a slight smirk, but before I can say anything, the back door opens, and in walks all the guys. My eyes pop out of my head when I notice that they all have some combination of black eyes, red marks, split lips, and blood on them.
“What the fuck happened to you all?” I ask before I stop myself. This makes all of them stop, and all eyes are on me, yet I don’t see them. For the first time in my life, I experience tunnel vision; all I see is Nate. He pushes his way through his brothers and stomps up to me. He drops to his knees in front of me, making himself level with me, and grabs the back of my head and crashes our lips together.
If this was a week ago, I would have freaked out after that one night I gave him. But now? I don’t feel scared at all. I feel desired. I feel wanted. But most of all, I feel loved.
“I’ve missed you, amour,” he whispers against my lips.
“Thank you for waiting for me.”
“Every day of my life.”
“Barf.”
“Ashlynn!” I hear Bri screech, followed by the sound of a slap. I can’t help but laugh. I look around the room, and everyone, including Ashlynn, smiles. I guess everyone was in on how we felt, and I’ve finally been able to catch up.
***
“You know you don’t have to do this, right? You can stay with mama at the ranch for a bit longer.” Bri follows me up the steps of the house I don’t want to step into.
“It needs to get done. I’ve stayed and hid away long enough. I need to move on. I need to heal. I…” I stop myself. I turn back to look at Bri and Ashlynn,“I have never felt normal. I had a toxic and blatantly abusive childhood with my father. I thought I was saved by a man who turned out to only think about himself. He helped me escape that situation with my father, only to turn around and use my love and gratitude toward him to mold me into what he thought he wanted in a woman. Then when I finally started to find myself, he beat me down verbally and emotionally,” I swallow before I continue,“and then it turned physical. I need to find myself. I need to rely on myself for a bit. To do that, I need to cleanse the bad memories first.” I sigh, trying to tamp down the emotions rising in me.
“Oh! Bri! You know what that means?” Ashlynn lets out this malicious cackle, which isn’t something I expected after that confession.“I think you need to call Dinglehopper and get him to bring over the burning barrel.” She stops, looking at how big the house is,“Maybe two or three. It’s bonfire time,” she rubs her hands together with a massive smile.
“You and I both know you cannot have matches. Plus, I don’t think Audrina wants you to burn down her house.” Bri shakes her head and rubs her palm across her face.“Also, please stop calling Johnny Dinglehopper. Just because I told you theLittle Mermaidstory—”
“—I’m sorry, whatLittle Mermaidstory?” My eyes light up because I know this is going to be good. I’m ready to ask for more when it clicks that Ash was mentioning burning things.“Wait. Hold that thought. No. Ashlynn, you arenotallowed to burn anything down. If you want to take things and pyro them out, go ahead. No matches will touch this house.”
“You two are no fun at all.” she pouts, and I shake my head while I turn to unlock the door, and we laugh at Ashlynn’s nonsense.
“Dizz called the other day to video chat with the girls and got them to sing Little Mermaid with Roxie.” Bri starts,“Johnny was in the kitchen washing dishes, and I walked in to see him full-on signing along with a wooden spoon toPart of Your Worldlike it was his job. I do have him on video if you want to see it.” Bri explains as we all make our way into the main area.
I can’t answer her. I’m frozen in place. Standing in my living room is my boss, Scott. He looked at us, and his face goes white as his eyes go wide. It’s been over a week, but I am still painted with every color of a bruise on my face. My lip and eyebrow still have splits in them. It’s noticeable that I was in an altercation.
“What are you doing here, Scott?” I cross my arms, trying to hold my own.
“I am looking for my best friend. You know, your husband?” The shock left his face when I start talking.
“He’s not my husband, and I don’t know where Clint is.” I start. He doesn’t know that I don’t know what happened to Clint, but I have an idea. Not that I’d tell him.
“And he better fucking stay gone after what he fucking did to her.” Ashlynn steps in front of me, almost like she is protecting me.“That needle dick, little fuck boy, McDreamy wanna be bastard. You’re done looking here. It’s clear he ain’t here.”
“Not that it matters, but he was also a chicken shit, commitment-phobic bastard. Refusing to make an honest woman out of Audrina. Lucky for her, she dodged that bullet.” Bri pipes up.
“That is my best friend you are talking about. He may have had a few things that were off about him, but he is a good doctor to this community. He doesn’t deserve to be disrespected like this.” Scott tries to stand up for him.
“You work with battered women day after day, Scott. Did you not see the signs with me? Did you not know how many women heplayed doctorwith at the hospital? You didn’t see any red flags in the way he treated me or how I was acting at all?” I snap at him.
“I know you were cheating on him with that father in your case! I know you got Sonya’s testimony thrown out of court and replaced it with yours. I also know you have gotten too close to the wrong people. The fact that he up and disappeared while you were off playing house with that same family speaks to all the red flags I know. You and your friends need to get out of his house before I call the cops.” Scott pulls out his phone.
