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“I know. And we are. I’m going to lift her, okay?”
He drops to his haunches beside me but doesn’t do anything else.
“J—”
“You’re going to need to let go, baby,” he says softly, his eyes dropping to where I’m clutching her to me.
Every muscle in my body screams for me to hold on to her as tight as I can. But logically, I know he’s here to help.
I shuffle back, allowing him some space. My heel gets caught on one of the tiles and I fall back with a thud.
“Fuck,” I hiss, landing hard on my ass right next to the needle Kristie had hanging out of her arm not so long ago.
I stare at it in disbelief.
My sweet and innocent little sister.
What have they done to her?
“Come on, we need to move,” Aubrey says, grabbing my arm and hauling me to my feet at the same time JD cradles Kristie to his chest.
She’s so tiny. Frail and thin.
She obviously gets up on stage here, why else would she be here, but I can’t imagine it.
She doesn’t look like she has the strength to stand, let alone dance or any of the other things I’ve witnessed tonight.
Bile rushes up my throat as images flicker through my mind.
With Kristie safe, Aubrey and I turn toward the door.
Lee stands there watching us with pain and sadness darkening her eyes.
“Come with us,” I say, still totally unaware of who she is.
Her lips part as something akin to hope flashes in her eyes. But then she shoves it all down and shakes her head.
“I can’t,” she whispers, lowering her eyes to the dirty floor.
“Of course you can.”
Sucking in a deep breath, she looks up.
This time, the desperation in her eyes, the hopelessness, makes my breath catch.
“Take her. Make her better. She deserves more than this.”
“Dove,” JD demands from behind me. “We need to leave before?—”
“Go. Go,” Lee encourages. “They’ll be here soon and…”
Her words trail off, leaving me to guess who she’s talking about and what they might do.
“Please,” I beg, reaching for her. “We can help you.”
My heart twists up knowing that I’m offering her this chance while others watch, desperate to hear the same words.
“Go,” she says again sadly, pointing toward the exit.
