Page 100 of Twisted Games of Revenge

I offer him a half smile. “I was hoping you would say that.” I pull out of his hold on me and open our front door. The young girl comes sheepishly into the apartment, her child still on her hip and Dani close behind them.

“Hey, Ricky.” Dani offers a wave that looks like it takes all of her energy to achieve.

He smiles at her and the young girl, but then turns his attention back to me as if to askwhat the fuck, Harley?But I wasn’t leaving her there on her own.

I place a hand on her shoulder, trying to encourage her to come closer to him. “This is the doctor boyfriend I was telling you about. His name is Ricky, you can trust him,” I tell her softly. She’s so scared and timid, but the poor girl has been through a lot today. “Ricky, this is Frankie.”

Dani nods to her, showing she agrees. “He’s one of the good guys.”

“Hi, Frankie.” He takes a seat on our couch and motions for her to do the same.

Tentatively she sits, with her little girl still clinging to her. She’s got ringlet curls and a pretty floral dress. She starts to fuss and cry. Her mother, with gentle hands and a soft voice, tries to soothe her. To distract the little girl, I turn on a cartoon, the cheerful sounds filling the room and drawing her attention immediately.

“Can you tell me what happened?” Ricky asks, his voice soft and filled with concern for the poor girl.

She shakes her head. “He will kill me and my babies,” she whispers.

My heart aches for her, a prickly anger rising under my skin. Something inside of me wants to go down to her boyfriend’s house and deal with him myself for what he’s put her through. Piece of shit. “Please, Ricky, we have to help her.”

“We will.” He looks back over her, and I can see he’s assessing her injuries. “Let me get my bag,” he says before leaving the room.

“Will Millie come to me for a bit so Ricky can look over your injuries?” I ask her.

Her wide, frightened eyes meet mine, as she nervously chews on her lip.

“He’s a really good doctor. He helped me, and he can help you, I promise.”

She looks down to her daughter. “Millie, can you go to mommy’s friend, Harley, for a minute while the nice man has a look at your sister for me?”

I offer my hand to the little girl; her small fingers curl around mine hesitantly. I smile at her, and she smiles back. Then she reaches out her arms and lets me pick her up. “I think I have some strawberries in the kitchen, do you like them?”

“They’re her favorite,” her mother answers for her.

Dani stands with me, smiling at the little girl. It’s the first time I have seen her properly smiling in weeks, and I’m glad she has something new to think about this morning.

“We will just be in the kitchen if you need us,” I tell her as Ricky comes back into the room with his bag of doctor’s equipment.

She nods, but I can see she’s watching him, not so sure.

I take Millie into the kitchen and pull a container of strawberries out of the fridge, sitting her on my lap at the kitchen table as she greedily grabs a handful of them, smashing them into her mouth. I can’t help but giggle at her. She’s adorable.

Dani smiles as well, asking her if she can have one. When she’s done, I take her over to the sink to wash her hands, but I swear somehow more water gets on my clothes than on her hands.

“Here, let me do it,” Dani says, helping us.

“Did you like the psychologist you saw today?” I ask her. She didn’t say a word to me after her appointment, and I’m not sure how to broach all of this with her, but I’m worried.

“She was nice. I’ll go back and see her again. I’m glad Geovani made me go. She gave me a script for some sleeping pills, so hopefully I can finally sleep tonight.”

“You know you’re welcome to stay here. I don’t like you staying in that big place all alone.”

She quirks a brow. “This place is crowded enough, girl.”

“Never too crowded for you. You could always have my room, and I’ll sleep in with one of the boys. The offer is there if you need it.”

She tilts her head. “How does that work anyway? Like who do you sleep with at night? Is there a roster to keep it fair?”

Unable to contain myself at her confusion, I burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the kitchen as Millie looks up at me, completely bewildered. Then, she bursts into a fit of laughter herself. It’s the most adorable sound ever.

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