to me isn’t mine to bear. I am no longer a victim, but there’s no shame in admitting that I was. That admission gives me the courage and strength to vow to never let that happen again.”
“And Araneae’s center is helping others too.”
“It is. She has the funds, the will, and the passion, and she’s taken all of that to get the right people.” Madeline walked closer. “Now, let’s work on the fillings.”
I reached for her hand. “Thank you.”
Her sparkling green eyes met mine. “Like Ruby said, if the dam breaks and you remember anything, swim like hell and reach for a life raft. Reid, Laurel, me, or once we’re out of here, consider the institute.”
“I know I wasn’t raped.”
“It’s still okay to reach out.” She squeezed my hand. “I’ve been thinking about it. I can’t imagine how I would have handled it if they’d taken me, not after what I’ve been through.”
Tears came to my eyes. “I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“I know without a doubt, being here with Patrick, Ruby, and soon” —she grinned— “this little one, here is where I belong. I may have walked through the fires of hell to get here, but if that’s what it took, I’d do it again. You know what they say—it’s darkest before the dawn. We can’t give up.”
“Hey, what are you—”
We both turned as Araneae entered the kitchen, her eyes open wide. She was all dressed for business from the waist up—hair, makeup, blouse, and jewelry. Comically, it didn’t match her soft maternity leggings and sock-covered feet. I supposed it was a perk of working remotely. She could stay comfortable while appearing put together for virtual calls.
With her mouth agape, she came closer. “Fuck, Lorna, what did you do?”
I looked at Madeline, smiled, and turned back to Araneae. “I guess you mean my hair.”
“I heard Aunt Araneae say—” Ruby said, entering from the same archway Araneae had come through. She stilled at the threshold to the kitchen. “Shit. Lorna.”
“Ruby Cynthia,” Madeline scolded.
Before I could explain again why I was now a brunette with a shoulder-length bob, my phone buzzed. Pulling it from the back pocket of my jeans, I said, “I hope that’s Reid.”
The screen read Mason.
A bit disappointed, I swiped the screen.
“PLEASE COME TO YOUR APARTMENT.”
I looked up at three sets of eyes.
“Is everything okay?” Madeline asked. “I haven’t heard from Patrick either.”
Araneae shrugged. “I haven’t heard from Sterling, but that’s not unusual.”
“It’s Mason. I hope everything is all right,” I said. “Madeline, can you do the fillings by yourself? He wants me downstairs.”
“Oh, are you making pirozhki?” Ruby asked. “I’ll help.”
“You pronounce that much better than I do,” I called as I left the kitchen.
“I want answers later,” I heard Araneae say as I passed the large staircase and headed toward the elevator.
Reid
Dr. Dixon’s arms crossed over her chest as I settled onto the couch in my apartment. “Reid, this is not up for debate. You need to listen to me. You need rest, and I expect you to get it.”
Maybe the reason I hesitated to answer was my admiration for all that the woman before me had accomplished, her position at the hospital, and her status within the Sparrow world. I supposed my lack of response boiled down to one common denominator: respect. I had it in spades for Renita Dixon. I knew her history and how she’d become part of the Sparrow world and the devotion she had to Sterling Sparrow and his undertakings. Her life, like so many others, had been touched by the atrocities of Allister Sparrow and Rubio McFadden. She’d lost a sister to a world she never knew existed.
With her determination and Sparrow’s financial help, she worked her ass off to get to a place where she could also help people. Now, I was her patient.
Renita’s eyebrows arched and her eyes widened.
It was a look I knew well. I’d received it over the years from both my grandmother and mother, and more recently from Lorna. That expression was a secret weapon that women possessed. Maybe they shared it with one another, but honestly, it baffled the entire male population. It was that ability to speak volumes without moving their lips.
“I could lie to you,” I replied a bit sheepishly.
“You could, but you won’t.”
She was right. I answered as honestly as I could, knowing I would be back on 2 the first chance I had. “I’ll try to rest.”
Dr. Dixon shook her head, her lips drawing together. “Listen, I never hesitate