Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Shaila called out Azelie’s name. Blanc immediately rose and hurried to the counter to get the iced latte that they all knew was Azelie’s favorite drink. Azelie had cash out to pay her back for the coffee, but Blanc shoved it back across the table at her.
“You buy us coffee often,” Blanc said firmly. “I think we can afford to buy yours once in a while.”
“Are you afraid of Andrii?” China asked gently. There was no hint of amusement in her tone. She was very serious.
“No, not like that. I think it’s possible he would hurt someone if he thought they were upsetting me. He’s a little on the overprotective side. But…” She trailed off.
The three women waited, showing extraordinary patience when Azelie hadn’t realized they were capable of such a thing. All three had sobered at her confession. A part of her felt warm and wished she had been able to connect with them on a more personal level sooner.
“Tell us, dear,” Penny insisted. “You have us to look out for you.”
The Christian sisters nodded in agreement. “We’re very experienced,” China added. “Between the three of us and the era we grew up in, we’ve seen and become very knowledgeable about the ways of men. And we’re very good at confidentiality, despite the teasing we just subjected you to. What you tell us remains with us.”
Azelie gripped the latte. Her reluctance wasn’t about trust. She had come to know the three women fairly well, at least their character, and she was certain they would always act with her best interests at heart. She had observed them for a long time and knew the affectionate way they teased one another. She was grateful that she was considered their friend. Her reluctance was about getting too close. Caring too much. Putting them in danger. Losing them.
Blanc leaned close to her. “We might be as old as dirt, Azelie, but our minds are sharp. We’re always going to be on your side.”
“You can’t be so nice to me,” she said. “I mean it. I act tough, but I’m not.”
The three women burst into radiant smiles. It was Penny who addressed that statement. “Dear, we are very aware of what a soft heart you have. Why do you think we’re so protective of you? I always wanted a daughter—or, in your case, a granddaughter. I have neither. I lost the love of my life long before we ever thought of making babies together. There was never another man for me, at least not one I wanted permanently in my life.”
China patted her hand. “Do you know why I was named China and my sister Blanc? Our parents were addicted to heroin. They thought it would be hilarious to name their children after their drug of choice. In those days there weren’t many protections for children, certainly not the way there are now.”
A fist of apprehension knotted in Azelie’s stomach. Pressure was suddenly severe in her chest. She had suffered intense trauma, and it had been very public in the news. Her brother-in-law murdered his wife and children and attempted to murder her as well. There had even been accounts of her mother’s abuse, done in her drunken rages. They knew. These women who had never once indicated they knew who she was, had never brought up her past.
“Our parents ‘gifted’ us to their drug dealer,” Blanc disclosed, and reached for her sister’s hand. Penny laid her hand on Blanc’s shoulder. “That abuse started when China was twelve and I was eleven. It didn’t end until Penny’s father stepped in. He was in law enforcement, and Penny told him what was going on. By that time, we were fourteen and fifteen.” She glanced at Penny and blinked away tears.
“We rarely talk about it,” China said. “Penny’s father died saving us. She has forgiven us, but to this day we find it difficult to forgive ourselves.”
“There was nothing to forgive,” Penny interjected. “I was the one who went to my father and told him how your parents treated you. I told him about the drug dealer and the arrangement with your parents. He was horrified. He took it upon himself to investigate. Those were our choices, not yours.”
Azelie’s heart felt as if it were pounding out of her chest. Her mouth had gone dry. There was a lump in her throat making it difficult to breathe.
“Our parents found out about the raid, that it was going to take place. We were both with the dealer,” China continued. “My father had a friend in the department, one who more than once had exchanged information for us. He called my father and asked for us in exchange for date and time of the raid. My parents rushed to inform their dealer. They wanted to take us home quickly so they wouldn’t lose their prize possessions in making money for their drugs.”