“Yeah. I took Molly home and gave her a little something to help her forget what had happened.”
“Something like what, Enzo?” Hope said.
“Just a little MDNA.”
“You roofied her?” Hope said, her eyes bugging out.
“Well, it beat the alternative,” I said. My voice tumbled out of my mouth like stones being ground to gravel. I tried hard to ignore the little kick in my gut with each word. I’d done what I needed to to keep her safe.
I refused to feel bad about it.
“And you didn’t tell her?” Hope said.
I noticed that she didn’t try to argue with my words. She knew better than anybody else that someone in Molly’s position would ordinarily be killed.
“How was I going to tell her? That’s what Nico and I were talking about,” I said.
“And she heard you, and now she’s run off,” Hope said.
“We don’t know that.”
“You—Enzo, I’m sure she just got upset and needs a little bit to think through things. Just go to her house, make sure she’s okay, but then give her space,” Hope said.
She looked at me, her expression stern.
“Space?” I said.
“Don’t be foolish, Enzo. You know Molly. You can’t try to push her. Just let her deal with this, and when she’s ready to talk to you, she will,” Hope said.
“You should listen to her,” Nico added.
“Sounds like a stupid idea,” I muttered.
But I knew they were right.
Molly was tough. That was for sure. There was no way in the world she would talk until she was ready.
So I’d give her space.
I frowned, the very thought making me want to rebel.
But Molly needed to understand that this wasn’t over.
She’d get past it.
And until then, I’d wait.
But first, I walked to her place, determined to make sure she was okay.
I smiled as I looked up at the building. Even with the peeling paint, the cracked third stair Molly always warned me about, the overall tired appearance, it felt like home because of her.
Anywhere would feel like home if Molly was there.
I knew this place wasn’t nearly nice enough for Molly. But I preferred it to my own luxury penthouse.
Molly’s tiny apartment felt as close to home as I had experienced since I was a child, so I wouldn’t force her to leave it.
At least, not yet.