Page 338 of My Sweet Dollie, You Have to Love Me
“I can’t do that. I’m trying to do all I can to keep them away from each other. I know Shane would have him sent back to prison.”
“Who is this Shane anyway?” Valaria questions.
“We’ve been together my whole adult life, but we’ve been in a bad place for the last few weeks and decided to slow things down. He’s always had a problem with how much I need Ambrose.”
“Try and keep in mind also, Ambrose and Dollie aren’t blood siblings.”
“Yes, I know. He said that when she first got into town.”
My eyes widen to know he’d spoken of me.
“He didn’t say anything else.”
“Most people don’t understand us. He’s been accused since we were teenagers of assaulting me and creating a trauma bond. But that’s not what happened. Trauma brought us close, but not trauma caused by him. But no one else has to understand that I don’t love him like a brother, that I need him like I need air. Only I need to know that. What we feel for each other can’t be wrong.”
“As long as you’re both comfortable with your feelings, it’s no one else’s business.” Annabelle’s hand stretches across to me with a pink-colored boba tea from her side. “Have this, calm your nerves a little.”
“I’m sorry, Annabelle. I can’t.”
“Are you still not eating?” She retracts her arm, taking the smiley plastic cup away from me.
“I can’t right now.”
“He’s gonna need you healthy. So, maybe in a little while?”
“Maybe.”
Annabelle sets the tea back in the cup holder and passes a coffee to Valaria, keeping one for herself.
“I hope I got this right. I have no idea what you like, so I just went with a latte. There’s milk and sugar in the holder.”
“I appreciate it.”
With them chatting between themselves, the itch in my feet continues inside the ugly slippers I’d shoved my feet into before jumping in the ambulance, and I glance over my shoulder to his room. And, this time, I can’t stop myself from walking over and pushing open the door.
Both girls call me, but I ignore them, slipping into a blue room.
Enchanting green eyes land on me as soon as he recognizes the light dragging of the huge slippers.
Whatever the psychologist was talking about stops instantly when I pull a chair to Ambrose’s side.
He forces himself up, teeth snapping shut to hide the pain in both arms.
The silence between us shatters.
“What the fuck happened to you?” His hands instantly reach for me as soon as I’m within reach. Fingers moving over my shoulders to my neck and bruised face.
“I’m okay.” I cup his gentle hands to my cheeks. “You’re lucky to be alive, though, you know that?”
He tenses, knowing I chose those words deliberately because I know the truth. Not knowing that I’ve known for a while, since a terrible nightmare brought us together.
“You’re not okay! Was this because you were in my room? Where is he?”
I hold tight like he’s my lifeline, my fingers trembling where they’re joined with his. “It was why I wanted to keep the lights off.”
“How did I not notice you were hurt?”
“Because the lights were off,” I reaffirm.
