Page 14 of Papa's Beloved

I catch her.

“Lay her down on my bed.”

I carry her to the bed and lay her down. Wizard grabs pillows and props up her legs.

“I’ll get Doc.”

I nod my head. Never taking my eyes off Nay’s face. I hear Wizard leave. She’s wearing my tee, so there are no clothes to loosen. It comes down to her knees, but it’s loose around her neck. I know it’s from shock but my heart is still racing faster by the second.

“Wake up, Beloved, you’re starting to scare me.”

But she doesn’t wake up. She doesn’t stir. What feels like hours later, Doc and Wizard come rushing through the door. Doc has an old-fashioned doctor's bag he carries with him.

“Has she regained consciousness even briefly?”

“No. She hasn’t moved.”

“Can you sit on her other side while I examine her?”

I nod and get up to walk around the bed. Wizard puts a hand on my shoulder. I can tell by the look on his face he’s blaming himself.

“It’s not your fault, brother. It’s Linden’s. Another deed on a long list of sins he’ll pay for.”

Wizard nods. I sit on the other side of the bed, then scoot closer while Doc takes her vitals. He checks her pulse, heart, lungs, and pupils.

“Shock and trauma shut her brain down. I don’t know how long she’ll sleep.”

“Help me get her back to my room.”

“You got it, brother.”

I scoop Nay up in my arms. Doc opens the door and gets the elevator. When we get upstairs, he opens the door to my apartment.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“Will do, Doc. Thank you, brother.”

I carried Nay to the bedroom, laying her on the bed. I cover her up and head to do the dishes.

Chapter 12

Nay

I’m crouched down beside the front porch. Neither my uncle nor my father knew I was home. I’d been out working. Selling my body so I could feed my younger siblings. My father was sick. He’d been bedridden for the last three years.

I don’t know what made me duck down when I saw them. Something seemed off. Call it gut instinct. I stayed still and listened to their conversation.

“Micah and Mason have birthdays next month,” my Uncle Liden says.

“That’s right. They’ll be twelve. Same age as Nay, when you started her.”

Started me? What does he mean?

“I want to put up a bid for the twins. Someone can take their virginity together. It’ll be worth more money.”

Tears stung my eyes. My father knows what’s going on and he plans to pimp out my siblings. Oh, hell no. The tears roll down my face as I force myself to remain in place and listen to the rest of their plans. At some point, they both went inside. I stumbled away from my hiding spot and emptied the contents of my stomach into some nearby bushes.

By the time I finished, I decided I had to save my siblings. I don’t know how, but I’ll figure it out.

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