Page 344 of My Sweet Dollie, You Have to Love Me
I make a little noise as I smile. “I’ll be back tomorrow?”
“Don’t ask me.” His lips drag across mine as he shakes his head. “Promise me.”
“I promise you. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
CHAPTER 76
Dollie—present day
Stepping outside Ambrose’s room, my chest and stomach still full of butterflies as I greet the girls, who talk candidly to Dr. Harrison.
I interrupt their conversation, telling them, “He’s okay.”
“That’s really good to hear.” Valaria’s cheeks rise with a smile.
“Yes, that’s amazing, Dollie.” Annabelle tucks a card into her bright red purse.
I’m not even mad, knowing it’s for me.
The psychologist grants me a goodbye as she steps away and reenters Ambrose’s room.
I step forward, feet again dragging on the floor, and I collect my boba, swallowing down half a dozen sour pearls on the first gulp. “I feel so many things right now. Happiness, relief, and still, a little fear, but I’m so glad he’s okay.”
“And you’re ready for some nutrients. About damn time.” Annabelle’s joy fades as both women move their wide eyes to the person whose squeaky shoes have me turning around.
“What the fuck, Dollie?” Shane says close to my ear, the bite in his tone easy to hear. His fingernails jab into my wrist just out of their line of sight.
“What are you doing here?” I try in vain to wiggle my wrist free, but it only hurts me more as my vein is pinched between harsh fingers.
“I’ve been calling you all morning. It could have been important. Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“It wouldn’t have been as important as this, would it, Shane? Ambrose could have died.”
“And who would give a fuck, really?” he whispers cruelly.
“I would! I would care if he died!” I snap, loud enough for both girls to hear and agree. “I would fall to fucking pieces.”
“God, there really is something wrong with you. He went to prison for gutting your father and slitting your mother’s throat, you silly cunt.” His finger points too close to my face, and I hate it, the nasty truths waving right in front of me. I hate it as much as I hate what he called me.
His other hand squeezes tighter, that vein in my wrist throbbing. Wanting to be nowhere near him, I try harder to get away, not caring who sees. His grip tightens, and I slam right back into him.
He blurs beyond my tears, and I almost lose my nerve of standing up to him, and then?—
“Hey!” Valaria’s give-no-shit tone comes through the air. “What the fuck are you doing? Let her go, unless you wanna share a ward with her brother.”
“I didn’t do anything. I was just holding her.”
I blink away tears to see the anger on Annabelle and Valaria’s faces.
I glance back at Ambrose’s window, grateful he can’t hear any of this. The same as I couldn’t hear anything in there of the bustle and shuffle of the busy hospital.
Valaria leaves her position of hanging over the uncomfortable chair. Her tiny height levels up to Shane because of her huge heels. “I don’t believe you. I can see what you’re doing. I can see what you’ve done.” Her eyes flick to my bruised face and the marks left behind from his dirty fingernails. “Let her fucking go.”
Shane listens to Valaria, holding his hands up in surrender, and I pull away from him, moving with her as she hooks her arms around mine and leads me back to Annabelle. I set down my drink on an empty seat, and my fingers immediately rub at my wrist.
“Show me your hand, Dollancie?” Annabelle asks gently. Her eyes move to Shane, who is wiping the invisible germs from my scars away. It pulls all our attention to him, the man who craves attention from women. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?” He pouts like a child, slumping in a seat opposite us.
