Page 386 of My Sweet Dollie, You Have to Love Me
Her whole-body trembles in my arms. I rock her gently. Bubbles is still close. Dollie’s fingers move to her, twirling in her soft hair.
“What did he do? How did he get in?”
“It was raining.” She swallows, and her hand moves back to her throat. “I knew you were due home, so I unlocked the door. You really shouldn’t have your face on mine.” Even as she says that, her arm is locked around my waist in a death grip. “I’m dirty.”
Her concern for me while she’s so vulnerable and hurt, leads my lips to her cheek. Three gentle kisses press into her face, careful to avoid causing more pain, but my hand on her waist does something to her that curls her in on herself.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I quickly dial 911.
“We need an Ambulance. La’Darragh Manor—The Vice Orphanage, Villa Row, Carbonado Valley.” I don’t wait for theoperator to reply. Hanging up, I drop the phone back into my front pocket.
Dollie’s fingers move on my back, tickling my skin as my hoodie whispers against me.
“I tried to stay calm. So, he’d leave.” Her voice is a tiny whisper. “Your cake was almost done. He shoved my face in it. Then he dragged me in here and put my head in the toilet.”
I reel back in shock, but don’t pull away from her.
“He flushed, and then he kicked me and told me to stay in here with our dead parents.”
I’m shaking, all the anger I feel getting too hard to keep inside. I glance at the door, then back at her. “Where did he kick you?”
It takes her a second to roll up her hoodie, revealing a bruise that almost covers her entire stomach. The purple looks so much brighter next to the yellow stoma cover.
My knuckles trace the outskirts. My jaw ticks, triggering an irritating muscle twitch nearby.
“He thinks I did it. Mom and Dad. He says I’ve tried to hurt him in the past, too.”
A bitter part of me thinks it’s a shame she didn’t succeed.
My eyes flit to the door again.
“Do you think he’s gone?”
“He’d better fucking not be.” I squeeze her that little bit tighter for a few quick seconds, then create a small distance between us. “Will you be okay here if I go check?”
Both of her hands make it to my shoulders, gripping my clothes and skin. “If you hurt him, I’ll lose you.”
“I promise that won’t happen. Promise me you’ll be okay.”
CHAPTER 86
Ambrose—present day
Dollie had made promises with her mouth, like I didn’t know her. Like I wouldn’t have known she wasn’t okay when she said she was. Her eyes told a different story, and they kept me by her side while the front door slammed and Shane ran out.
I had every intention of finding him later –something the police couldn’t do.
I’d spoken with one of the detectives, a lady with a warm smile who didn’t judge me on the past everyone knew. She was kind and understanding of my need to be close to Dollie’s hospital room, as I blew off her questions to plaster myself against the door, following the rush of doctors.
Dollie is fine, now that her airway is stabilized. Delayed strangulation, the doctors had told me and Annabelle, who arrived here at the hospital shortly after Dollie and me. Hours later, she’s still here, stretched out across four chairs.
“You okay?”
I say nothing, because I don‘t want to insult her intelligence by asking how the fuck she thinks I’d be okay.
It’s 6:30 in the morning, and I’ve been here for close to twelve hours.
“How are you awake?” I wonder, given that we were talking until at least three.
