Page 31 of Daddy's Little Patient

“Can you find out the name?” Alex asked.

“Yes, I’ll eavesdrop,” Sandy said.

“Good.”

“When are you coming home?” Sandy asked.

Raina looked up at him. “Soon,” he whispered.

Raina nodded. “Soon. I promise.”

“Good. It will be nice to have you back. It’ll be even better when that woman is gone.”

Alex nodded. “Is that man still there?”

“He left the day after Raina did. He was afraid she was bringing the cops back, and he was on parole. He’s returned a few times, and I heard him and your aunt arguing. He said she owed him money, but she told him she didn’t have any.”

“She doesn’t. She’s been living off the estate this whole time,” Raina said. “I wonder what she’ll do once we get her out?” Raina asked.

“Who cares?” Sandy said. “She won’t need food because she can live off her fat for a few years.”

Alex grinned while Raina gasped, sputtered, and then laughed.

“That’s not nice,” Raina said while she giggled.

“You know you were thinking it too,” Sandy said.

Raina wrinkled her nose. “Maybe a little.”

“Here’s my number,” Alex said. “If anything happens before we get there, call me.”

She wrote it down. “You’ll be here soon, right?”

Raina looked up at Alex with so much trust and affection he had to grit his teeth to hide his emotions.

Alex cleared his throat. “Yes. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“Okay. Bye,” Sandy said and hung up.

Alex relaxed and pulled Raina against his chest. He hugged her tightly as his other hand caressed her thigh. “How are you doing?”

“I’m excited but also scared.”

“About what?”

“What if we can’t get her out?” Raina asked.

“We will.”

“You don’t know that, Alex.”

He cupped her cheek and tilted her head up so he could see her face. “Do you trust me?”

He loved that she nodded without thinking about it.

“Yes.”

“I’m telling you right now, we’ll have you in your house within days.”

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