Page 139 of Steel Queen

“Can you move?” I asked.

Another nod.

“Were you with those guys?” I asked, gesturing toward the car.

Another nod but a frown appeared on her young face.

“Who are they?”

“I don’t know,” she said, looking more and more sullen. “They hurt Sam when she was putting me in the car. I don’t know what happened to her.” A loud sob escaped her as she started weeping again.

I rubbed her shoulders and glanced up at Caleb.

Looking grim, he gestured me to keep asking more questions.

“Did they hurt you, honey?” I asked.

“They wanted to but I hurt them first.”

With gentle moves, I turned her around so that she was facing me fully. Even now, I couldn’t believe this little girl could murder two grown men. There had to be more to the story.

“How did you hurt them? Was there someone else with you?”

She shook her head. “I used the pointy knife Uncle gave me. He taught me how to stab someone with it.” She made jabbing movements with an imaginary knife in her right hand. “They wouldn’t listen when I told them to stop. One of the bad men did this to me.” She pointed at the bleeding wound on the side of her head.

“So, you stabbed them with the knife?” My voice was barely a whisper.

“Yes,” she said with a big nod. “They wouldn’t have stopped if I didn’t hurt them.” She broke into loud sobs. “I didn’t want to hurt them but they made me do it. They even hurt Sam.”

“Who is Sam, sweetie?”

“She’s my nanny.”

“I’m calling the cops,” said Caleb.

My hand darted forward to catch his wrist immediately. “Wait. Not yet.”

“Milla,” he hissed. “I told you—”

“Sshh.”

“What’s your name, honey?” I asked.

“Irene...Irene Civella.”

I froze at the mention of her surname.

“What’s your uncle’s name?” I asked slowly, my heart racing once again.

“Nick Civella.”

“Fuck,” Caleb’s mutter sounded over us.

I stared at the little girl before me. Fate dropped a mafia princess on my lap and it was none other than Nick Civella’s niece.

Closing my eyes, I tried to control my beating heart.

She’s just a hurt and scared kid, I reminded myself.I need to take care of her before even thinking about using her.

---