Page 52 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

“Millie, I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’m letting you go anywhere alone right now,” I say softly. “If you need to walk, go ahead. I’ll follow you. You don’t have to talk to me. You don’t even have to walk by me, but I’m coming with you.”

She finally stands up and takes her hands away from her red eyes. “Okay,” she says, nodding, “but I don’t want to talk.”

“Okay,” I say as I open the gate for her.

She takes out down the street ahead of me. I try to give her a little space, but it’s not easy. I can hear her softly crying. Her little sobs and sniffles are killing me. I want to hold her so badly right now. I’m following about five feet behind her when she finally stops and turns around. She walks back to me, tears streaming down her face. She drops her head onto my chest. I wrap my arms around her and hug her more tightly than I ever have before. She doesn’t say anything or make any attempt to hug me back. We stand that way for a few minutes before she pulls back. She reaches for my hand. I lace my fingers firmly into hers.

“I still don’t want to talk.” She starts walking again, pulling me along with her.

“Okay, baby,” I say as I squeeze her hand.

She wraps her other hand around my arm and lays her head against my shoulder as we keep walking up the street.

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