Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 139147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
“Ben,” he said as Ben took it.
“Julien, right?”
“Yeah,” Cap said then turned to me. “This is Rachel.”
I shoved my sunglasses up and offered my hand. “Hi, Ben.”
His jaw jutted out at the sides as he clenched his teeth and fought emotion, seeing as the last time he saw me I was holding his daughter who had been taken from him, then he took my hand and said, “Rachel. Delighted to meet you.”
I smiled an understanding smile, and he stepped aside to invite us in.
We walked in to a tidy house that was decorated with a moderate hand. There was personality, and lots of comfort, but no one was going for any awards. They just wanted it to feel like family. And it did.
Emily stood in their living room holding Elsie Fay’s hand, and in the background stood their reverend, with a woman who looked around his same age who was probably his wife.
I nodded to Emily and her company but let Cap go and approached Elsie Fay.
I crouched in front of her, my billowy, ankle-length skirt settling around me in a circle, and gave her a bright smile. “Heya, Elsie Fay.”
“Are you an angel?” she breathed.
It was the white outfit.
“They do walk the Earth on occasion,” I heard the reverend say.
I ignored this and opened my arms. “Can I have a hug?”
No hesitation, she walked right into them.
To hold her closer, I dropped to my knees and tucked my face into the top of her hair.
That night, she’d been dirty, her hair greasy, she didn’t smell great, which I thought was a hint of good in all the bad, since it was clear he didn’t bathe her.
Now she smelled like strawberries and felt like heaven.
And I was wrong.
I couldn’t do this.
My battlements didn’t just shake. The parapets didn’t just rumble. The soldiers I had manning the trebuchets and boiling tar went on an ill-timed break, my Citadel was under attack, and the whole thing was in danger of crumbling to the ground.
Fuck.
I felt her getting uncomfortable so I instantly loosened my hold.
She stepped away, didn’t go far, but studied my face, then patted my cheek like she was comforting me.
My throat completely closed.
She turned to her dad and lifted her arms. He picked her up immediately.
I stood, looked at Emily and pushed out, “I’m sorry. Just a second.”
Then I raced out of there.
I stopped once I got to the side of the house, leaned into a hand on it, put the other hand to my waist, bent my head and deep breathed.
Seconds later, Cap was at my side, not close, not far, but he had his hand on my back and he was stroking my spine up and down, his touch light and not intrusive, just warm and there.
After some time, I heard Cap ask, “Can you give us a minute?”
I straightened and turned to see the reverend had joined us.
“Of course,” he murmured, making a move to leave.
“No. I’m okay,” I assured. “I just needed a minute. But I’m okay.”
He nodded solemnly. “It’s a lot. I know.”
“She looks good, she looks good,” I repeated myself. “Is she good?”
“Our church is blessed with many parishioners, including some social workers and psychologists. We’re working to find a fit for Elsie Fay, Emily and Ben.”
This time, I nodded.
Thank God.
Literally.
He took a cautious step forward, lowered his voice, and said, “I believe you need to know, the police have resources the family have already availed themselves of. Elsie Fay has shared. It seems he was attempting to…” He struggled. “Groom her…” More struggling. “Or break her.” He took a deep breath. “Bottom line, Rachel, he didn’t touch her. Not that way.”
I let out a sharp, hitching breath that bucked my entire body then found myself plastered down Cap’s side.
“Thank you for telling us that,” Cap said.
“If you need to leave, I’ll explain that to them,” the man offered.
“I’d like to say good-bye to her,” I told him.
He lifted his chin.
We went back in, and in a haze where I barely recalled what I was doing or saying, though I did not miss that Cap didn’t leave my side, I spoke with Emily and Ben, a little more with Elsie Fay, met the reverend’s wife, and then Cap whisked me out of there and into his Porsche.
He did not drive me to Vincent’s.
He drove me home.
He did not hold my hand.
Because I was wringing mine together.
He did ask for my key to let us into my apartment rather than breaking in, though.
When we got in, I walked in farther, tossed my clutch on the chair and turned to him.
He was just a couple of steps inside, the door closed behind him.
“Do you want me to call Luna?” he asked.
Who was this man?
And how did I find him?
I shook my head.
Then I walked direct to Cap, shoved my face in his chest, he wrapped his arms around me, and I dissolved into tears.