Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
She shook her head and pressed her lips together before turning to look at me. “That’s all I can talk about right now,” she whispered. “I don’t want to talk about the rest.”
Fuck. I wasn’t sure I could take much more of it. I pulled her against my chest, and she let go of my hand and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“A month after Aunt Naola came to stay with us, I started cutting myself with my daddy’s pocketknife I had found in his workbench.”
I kissed her head and didn’t press for more. She’d told me more than my sister, and I knew letting me into her dark past had been hard.
“People commit suicide because of mental instability, things they struggle with, a sickness they lose control over. Your dad didn’t kill himself because of you,” I told her, needing her to believe me.
She nodded. “I know.”
So then, that hadn’t made her want to harm her body today. “Why did you cut yourself today, Tink?” I asked, brushing her hair back so I could see her face.
“To get the pain out,” she replied.
“What pain?”
She closed her eyes. “Of never being enough.”
Fucking hell.
24
Dolly
I opened my eyes and looked around my bedroom. It was then I heard the voices. Sitting up, I winced at the sting between my thighs, then looked down to see the bandage Micah had put there after he doctored it. He had made me swear to never do it again. That I was to call him if I ever had the urge to do it and he’d come running. After that, he laid me on the bed and curled up behind me. The emotional morning had exhausted me, and I’d fallen asleep.
“You promised you would leave her alone!” Pepper’s voice carried through the closed door.
“No, I didn’t. Think back on that conversation. I had no intentions of leaving her alone. When you called, I was sitting on the fucking bench across the street, waiting on you to leave,” Micah replied.
I stood up and moved closer to the door, not sure if I needed to go out there and stop this or not.
“What part of she’s fragile do you not get? Stop being so…so selfish!”
“Don’t.” Micah’s voice lowered. “You’re about to cross a line, sis. You need to step back. Dolly is dealing with shit. She’s been through a lot. I get it. I’m not here to fuck her. I’m here to take care of her. To help her. To make sure she doesn’t cut herself again.”
“Since when do you take care of women?” Pepper snapped.
“I’m not the bastard you seem to think I am.”
“Micah, I don’t think you’re a bastard. I just know you can’t be what she needs.”
“Yeah, the fuck I can.”
“Is that so?” she replied. “You realize that Dolly needs—”
I swung open the door to stop whatever was about to come out of Pepper’s mouth. Their heads turned at the same time, and both sets of eyes locked on me.
I forced a smile. “Y’all mind if I decide what it is I do and do not need?”
Pepper looked remorseful, but Micah continued to study me.
“I’m sorry, Dolly,” Pepper said.
Micah walked over to me. His eyes never leaving my face. “And what is it that you need, Tink?” he asked.
That list could be interesting. I saw the teasing gleam in his eye, and I smiled.
“Right now, I need a cheeseburger with extra pickles and fries. Maybe some caramel doughnuts.”
He chuckled. “I can manage that.”
“Great. You two just laugh and act like this isn’t a disaster waiting to happen. One I will have to clean up,” Pepper said, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at Micah, then looked at me with concern.
“I am failing to see how my being here to help her and be her friend is a potential for disaster,” Micah told her.
“Oh, let’s see. Two days ago, you took her virginity. That’s a friendship sure to blossom.” Sarcasm dripped from her words.
My face warmed, and I looked down at the floor. I hadn’t expected her to go there.
“Tink?” Micah slid a finger under my chin and lifted my face up to meet his. “Did you like sex? Did I make you feel good?”
Now, my face was on fire. My eyes widened, and he grinned at me.
“Come on. Tell her the truth.”
“Micah!” Pepper scolded.
“I enjoyed it,” I replied just above a whisper.
“And today, did I try to do anything more than comfort you?”
I shook my head.
He looked back at Pepper. “See? I’m here to be whatever she needs. I left her with you for two days, and the moment you left, she was slicing up that pretty skin of hers. Not happening again. I won’t let it. You failed at helping her. I won’t.”
“Shut up!” Pepper shouted, then pointed to the door. “Go. Just leave. I got this.”