Page 92 of Holy Sinner

We have pizza and pasta ready for dinner tonight! I love you!

We love you too. On our way back now.

Grant’s phone buzzes from my text where he tossed it on the dashboard. “What is it?” he asks, already knowing it’s the group text.

“Kit says there’s pasta and pizza for dinner.”

“Thank god,” Grant hums in delight and reaches out to start changing the radio stations. The rain starts to come down harder and I worry about the power to the new place. There’s a generator that can be used but I haven’t shown it to Kit. Jax and Scott will have to know how to work it but they’re at the base of the hill by the gate. Trained professionals or not, I don’t like the idea of Kit having to rely on them if something goes wrong.

I open my phone to text Kit about the generator but that’s when I see another text. It’s from Rita.

Dottie Bee is dead.

When did that happen?

Today. A few hours ago. It’s all over the news.

Rita tries to call as soon as her text comes in and I know why. She always thought the way I avoided talking about Dottie was because I cared about her. Every interview that brought up Lighthouse Dreams was one I worked to move away from the topic. Dottie Bee was a way for me to go radio silent. Soon enough, the interviewers learned not to bring up how I got started and to stay focused on the movie they wanted to know about. Anything else would get them nowhere.

Rita calls again but I ignore it and pull up a web page to search. The second I do, I almost drop my phone.

Dottie Bee Takes Own Life Days After Recovery

I stare at that headline but don’t click it. The very next one has me clicking, though.

Dottie Bee’s Suicide Scissors!

“What the fuck?”

“What the fuck what?” Grant asks and looks my way but I hit his shoulder.

“Eyes on the fucking road. Dottie’s dead.”

Grant is silent for a second and then bursts into laughter. “Oh fuck yeah? Really?”

“Yeah, she killed herself,” I say as I scan the article, “stabbed herself in the neck with a pair of scissors. She bled out.”

“Pizza and now this? Best fucking day.” He turns up the radio and the bass of it thumps so loud that I can feel it in the soles of my feet. Yeah, Grant is having a party for one right now. I smile at the glee I hear in his voice. He’s not wrong. It’s a bright spot with all the bullshit we’ve been dealing with. Rita calls again and I take the call.

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?” she asks immediately. “Wait, where are you? It sounds like you’re at a rock concert.”

“I’m fine. Why wouldn't I be? No concert, just loud music.” I motion for Grant to turn the music down but he ignores me.

“Dottie…”

I look out the window. The rain comes down at an angle with how fast we’re going. Only the glow of the headlights lets me see the water. Dottie was the part of my life I couldn’t control. I fucking hated that bitch but I know that’s not what I’m supposed to say to Rita. Not to her and not anyone that isn’t Grant or Kit.

“Sometimes people are done living.”

“But the scissors! Rafe, she stabbed herself in the fucking neck like a horror movie. That’s just-the nurse that found her said there was blood on the ceiling. Why would she do that? I’m so sorry, Rafe. I know she meant a lot to you.”

I grind my teeth and squeeze my phone. I’d rather be thinking about pizza and how Kit is waiting for us safe and sound, not talking about a dead woman that I couldn’t give a shit about.

“That’s in the past but thank you,” I tell her quickly. “It’s raining. I gotta go.”

“Wait, before you do, is the house okay? I sent over some things to make sure it was stocked.”

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