Page 69 of Dolly

Romero’s eyes flick to the doorway. At the minimum, he’s carrying an extra hundred pounds. He’s not going to outrun anyone today.

But just to be sure he understands he’s not leaving, I put myself between him and door, my knife pointed at him.

“Daddy?” Ella sobs from behind me.

“You stupid bitch,” Romero bellows, spit flying from his mouth. “I knew he’d be a problem. I knew it!”

Ken? He knew Ken would be a problem.

The girl is drawn down to the floor once Ken gets the restraints off her wrists. Bringing her arms down to her sides makes her whimper. She’s so frail and small. Ken looks past me.

“Get me a fucking blanket, Ella!” he orders.

“Don’t you help him!” Romero screams. I envisioned Dragonmate to be taller, thinner—more billboardesque. Instead of a tall businessman, he’s a round toddler throwing a fit.

“A blanket, Ella, or I’ll start gutting your father right here.” I take a small step toward Romero. I’d be happy to start, but the girl needs to be in a safe place, she needs to be tended to, and having to watch what I have planned might upset her.

Ella scrambles off behind me and returns with a light blue cotton blanket. Ken takes it from her and helps wrap it around the girl who’s now sitting with her legs crossed on the floor, shivering.

“What’s your name?” I ask her. I know I sound hard, but she doesn’t need caressing. Right now, we need to get on the bottom of the situation, deal with it, and then we’ll care for her. She’s been tough. There’s healed scars on her arms. This wasn’t her first session with Romero. If she lets that wall down, it might crumble. And we need answers.

“Sarah Damons,” she says in a weak voice.

“How old are you?” I ask. Romero’s lips turn white at how hard he pinches them together, but he keeps quiet.

“Eleven,” she whispers, then tucks her head into Ken’s chest.

“Has he…” I pause a moment to swallow back the bile rising in my throat. “Has he touched you? Other than the whip.”

“Daddy,” Ella whispers behind me. Whatever strength she may have had has been lost while standing in this room. Maybe this was her room once. Maybe she’s gone through this before.

Too many victims and only one life for him to lose. It’s not fair.

“He…yes.” Sarah breaks into a sob. The dam has burst.

“You’re safe now, Sarah. But you can’t be in here, okay?” I say to her, taking my eyes off Romero for a moment. Little Sarah looks up at me. Swaddled in the blanket in Ken’s lap, she looks even younger. “Can you stay in the living room for a minute? It won’t be long. I promise. Then we’ll take you home to your parents.”

“Dolly. Do you want to stay with her?” Ken helps Sarah up from the floor, concern underlying his question. Seeing her like this has brought back pain from the past.

“I need this done.” My voice trembles.

Ella moves into the room, to Ken, and Sarah pulls back, a new cry emerging from her mouth.

“You took her,” I accuse. “You brought her here, and then you brought him too.” If she was a victim once, she isn’t now.

“I…” Ella’s eyes flash to her father, tears spilling over her lids. “I…he said if I didn’t—” she bows her head. “If I didn’t, it would be me.” The last of it comes out in a raw whisper.

Ken snags Ella’s hair and pulls her away from Sarah. “You set me up too?”

“No!” Ella brings up her hands to protect her face. She doesn’t know Ken well enough. She doesn’t know he wouldn’t hit her there.

“I met you, and the next day, my life turned to shit. Why?” He shakes her, and she sniffles.

“I didn’t—”

“That was me.” The deputy mayor finally speaks. “I knew if you stuck around her, you’d get in my way, and I needed you gone. The bitch had nothing to do with it.” He laughed. “She would have fucked it all up if she had.”

“The girl on the news—you took her too?” I ask Ella, who nods.

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