Page 121 of Fighting the Odds

“I’ve missed you too, so, so much,” I tell her.

“Mr. Stevenson said I can’t come home, but I can see you now.”

God, I want her home with me so badly I can taste it. “I know, baby girl, but soon you will be back with me.”

“Time for cake,” Mrs. Butler announces. “But you need to make a wish and blow out the candles.”

I have everything. So there’s only one thing left to wish for.

Everyone steps into the apartment, and I move over to Mrs. Butler. I silently make my wish and blow out the candles in one breath.

“What did you wish for?” Sam asks.

“I can’t say or it won’t come true.” I wink at her as I take the cake from Mrs. Butler and head into the kitchen to sit it on the table. Colton comes in behind me and moves over to the cabinet, pulling out a pack of paper plates I didn’t even realize were there.

“Rico wants to talk to you in private. He’s in your bedroom,” he whispers in my ear before kissing me softly on my lips.

“Okay.”

I smile when I step out of the kitchen. Sitting on the couch with Mrs. Butler, Sam is catching her up on everything she’s been doing since they last saw each other. I can’t see Mrs. Butler’s face, but I know she’s happy.

When I step into the room Rico turns around, the picture of my mother, me, and Sam in his hands.

I close the door behind me to give us some privacy.

“I’m so sorry for not being there when your mom died. If I had stepped up, you would never have been placed with her sister.”

“But Sam would’ve. And I wouldn’t have been there to protect her. I want to thank you for not doing that. So don’t be hard on yourself.”

He sets the picture back on my dresser, then sits on the edge of my bed.

“I’ve been debating on how to tell you this. But I guess the best way is to just spit it out. Bash found your aunt. She was holed up in some seedy ass hotel in Georgia, drugged out of her mind. They sent some of the prospects to get her and took her to the farm. She’s gone and they’re never going to find her. There’s nothing left of her.”

I drop down on the bed beside him, letting that sink in.

She’s gone.

I want to be sad. But I’m not.

How can I mourn a woman who treated me and my sister like shit? Who let her scum ass boyfriends beat and try to rape me?

“Thank you for telling me.”

“Also, you’re fired.”

“What?!” I say loudly.

“Just what I said, you're fired. You’re not dancing for me anymore. You’re my niece, and I’m going to make sure you’re taken care of. I want you to focus on being you for a while. Get good grades, go to college.”

I go to interrupt him, but he puts his hand up.

“I know you want to earn your own money and pave your own way. So instead of dancing, you’ll be doing the books. I’ll cover your rent and utilities, and what you make, you can put in the bank.”

I’m not sure what to say, so I fling my arms around his neck and hug him.

“Thank you, Rico. Thank you so much.”

“Okay, we have a party to go to, so let’s get out there.”

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