Page 11 of Silent Betrayal

She looks between us all, looking frustrated before she finally concedes. “I’ll be back after I talk to my superiors,” she says as she and her partner storm out of the room.

“You be sure to do that!” Ben yells after her.

“I’ll talk to you guys later. I’ll go see what she plans on doing,” the police chief says as he follows them out. Ben shuts the door behind him and then turns back to me. It’s just the eight of us now. My eyes dance around between them all, wondering if they will be mad I had previously lied about my age. But it’s not like I ever told them I was seventeen, my mother did.

Max and Jasper start laughing, and Ben moves in and leans down closer to me. “Are you really twenty-one, or did you just say that to get them to leave? Cause if you did, it was brilliant!” he says with a smile.

“It will only hold for so long, though,” Gideon adds from the foot of my bed, where he now sits.

“Move.” Atlas nudges Jasper out of the way to come to my other side. He’s been silent up to now. He holds my hand delicately and stares into my eyes.

“Malishka.” I smile at him and sigh.

“Are you really twenty-one? Honestly?” he asks.

I nod, and a huge smile crosses his face.

“I wish we knew that sooner, we could have gotten you out of there weeks ago,” he says with a frown.

“Why were you in high school?”

“How do you feel?”

“Are you alright?”

Tucker and the twins all talk over each other, but I keep my eyes glued to Atlas. I can see he needs me right now, and I want to be there for him. I want him to know how much it meant that he answered my call for help.

I take a deep breath and rasp out so quietly, it’s barely a whisper in the quiet room, “Atlas.” His eyes widen with surprise. “You came for me.”

I start coughing and a straw is quickly brought to my lips, and I drink down as much as I can while I watch him. I can’t stop the tears of happiness that escape. He pulls my hand up and kisses the back of it. I’m surprised when I notice my fingers are heavily bandaged, but what surprises me most is the glossy sheen in his own eyes.

“I will always come for you, Malishka. I’m so sorry I didn’t get there sooner.”

I shake my head, wanting to tell him it’s my fault for not asking for it sooner, but my throat is sore and I don’t want to hurt it anymore. My whole body hurts and I realize now just how tired I am.

“Angel,” I hear Jasper say from beside Atlas. “I gave you the perfect nickname. You sound like an angel.”

I blush and roll my eyes at him. My voice is terrible and raspy.

“Kitten, your voice is beautiful. I didn’t know you could speak,” Dom says from my other side.

I shrug my shoulders and he gives me a sad smile.

“Move in with us!” Max suddenly yells, making me jump.

“Tact, man. Use it,” Tucker grumbles at him, and Jasper runs his hand over his face, clearly exasperated with his brother.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t wait any longer! I mean, she’s not a minor, and there is no way we’re letting her go back to that hellhole of a house. I want her to know she has a home with us.” Max beams at me.

My sweet twin. He’s so thoughtful and kind. I hadn’t even had the chance to process what happened with my mother or where I would live.

Do I want to live with them? For so long, I’d imagined moving out on my own, getting out from under my family’s thumb. I never really thought about living with anyone else. But as they all stare at me expectantly for an answer, I know what I want to do. It’s clear I can’t take careof myself, and I’m not too vain to admit I need them. They said they would help me, but I wonder if they really mean that, knowing recovery might not be an easy road for me.

“Malishka?” I turn to look at Atlas. “We would all love it if you came to stay with us. For as long as you want. You need help to recover from what happened, and every one of us wants to be by your side as you heal.” I glance around quickly at the others and they all smile or nod at me, confirming their agreement with him. “Malishka, please stay with us. I need you.”

“Weneed you,” Dom says from my other side.

I can’t imagine what they need me for, but a smile covers my face as I nod in agreement. Max cheers loudly as they all seem to sigh in relief.

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