Page 120 of Restless
“Because the baby might be his,” CJ shouted.
At first, Ryan stared from CJ to Rory, but Rory tossing his cigarette seemed to snap him out of his shock.
“What—”
A lock disengaging interrupted Ryan; the door cracked. Bloody fingers gripped the edge before disappearing. A sobby moan filtered up.
Alarm racing through him, CJ tried to push the door open, but something blocked him.
“Molly, move away from the door,” he said.
At first, she said nothing. “It hurts,” she said finally.
Ryan stood, frozen.
“He beat me,” she sniffled. “And M-mama’s dead.”
Ryan staggered back, while Rory’s eyes lit up.
Cursing and glaring at his cousins, CJ released a sharp breath. “Move away from the door, bae,” he coaxed. “We have to check on you and the baby.”
“There is no baby,” she said in a small voice.
Anger washed over Rory’s face, and he stiffened, opening his mouth to speak.
CJ held up a hand and shook his head. “Where is it?”
Silence.
Fury darkened Rory’s gray eyes.
“We won’t be mad at you, Mo,” CJ promised. “Just tell us where the baby is?”
Her pitiful sobs tore at him. “Daddy hurt it,” she admitted. “I tried to hold it in, but it kept coming out.”
The memory of his mother going limp, and suddenly bleeding swirled in CJ’s head, and he closed his eyes.
“Move away from the fucking door, Molly,” Rory ordered in a hard voice.
CJ glared at Rory, surprised when the door opened wider.
Rory stalked into the house, followed by Ryan. Not trusting either of them, CJ went in and halted. Molly lay on the floor, naked, bruised from head-to-toe with various wounds on her body, while dried blood stained her thighs and legs.
Removing his leather bomber, CJ knelt next to her, carefully lifted her into his arms and wrapped her in his jacket.
“Help my mommy,” she whispered, sounding like a small child. “He took her in the bathroom after she told him I was pregnant.”
“Didn’t you say she was dead?” Ryan asked woodenly.
“She’s a fairy,” Molly said around tears. “Fairies always come back to life, even when they grow to a hundred feet tall and are dropped from the moon.”
“I’ll see to her,” Rory swore, heading to the bathroom once Ryan pointed to it.
Clutching Molly, CJ stood. “Call Uncle Val, Ryan. Tell him what’s going on. Then, call Uncle Mort and Uncle Digger—”
“There’s no helping that woman,” Rory announced, staring into the bathroom from the doorway.
CJ turned toward the door. “Give her mouth to mouth.Something. At least try.”
