but both your parents were killed the night of the attack.” His tone was gentle, but he offered no apology, no condolences. Maybe he knew she didn’t need them.
“H-How?” No, there was no distress. Not a single ounce of regret or grief for the people who raised her. But relief? Oh God, yes. Wave upon wave of it, sweeping her up. Years of anxiety fell away in a moment.
“What can you tell me about Alicia?”
“Alicia? She’s my sister. Four years younger than me. She was paralyzed from the waist down when she was ten. An accident.” One that was going to haunt her for the rest of her life, apparently. “I haven’t seen her in over ten years. She hates me as much as Abraham and Diane did, so there wasn’t any reason to stay in contact with her. Not that they’d have let me.”
Atticus nodded slowly. “Your parents abused her, Bodie. She’s been their punching bag for years. If anything went wrong with the illegal businesses they were running or they were just in a bad mood, she took the brunt of it. Alicia’s been talking to the police and she’s told them everything, including their plans to kill you. The only reason she’s still alive is the money the disability cheques brought in.”
Bodie’s lip trembled. “I’m sorry for that. I don’t see—”
“They walked into their house after they’d beaten you to death—or so they thought. Covered in your blood, laughing. Celebrating your death. If you have any thoughts of sympathy for them, don’t. They were high on the rush of thinking you were dead, and your father started on Alicia.”
Maybe she was wrong, thinking she could handle this. Whatever he said next was going to shred her, she could tell from the look in his eyes. Today was the day she’d have to rebuild her entire world from the scorched earth beneath her feet.
“She shot and killed them both, then called the police. I’ve kept in touch with the detectives who are in charge of the case, and who have taken yours on as well due to the connection. Alicia’s cooperated with them from the start, and everything she’s said adds up. It doesn’t appear like any charges will be brought against her.” He reached out and took her hand. “She asked one of the detectives if he’d seen you yet. She asked if he would tell you that she loves you, and she misses you. She’d like to see you, Bodie.”
Do not cry. Stay strong. “W-Where did she get a gun from?”
“Abraham had stashes around the house in case retribution from people he pissed off came back to bite his ass at home. Alicia feared for her safety; she took one and hid it in a pocket in her wheelchair. By all accounts, she’s as smart as her big sister. Maybe not quite as temperamental.”
Bodie squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t need to imagine what kind of abuse her baby sister had suffered all these years—she’d experienced it herself firsthand. Her heart snapped in two for what Alicia must have gone through; at least Bodie had been able to walk away from it when she was old enough, to an extent. “Where is she now? Is she okay?”
“She was discharged from hospital yesterday. She’s going to be fine, Bodie.”
She shook her head. “No, she’s not. She’s stuck in a damn wheelchair. How the fuck is she supposed to survive on her own? My parents won’t have taught her how to do anything, how to live in the outside world.”
Atticus smiled. “Well, lucky for her, your Dominant seems to have a soft spot for rescuing McGee girls. Connie and Loki picked her up once she was discharged, and Connie’s taken Alicia under her wing like the mother hen she is. Alicia’s safe, she’s cared for. Now we’ve just got you to worry about.”
“Braun asked Connie to look after my sister?”
“He did. He loves you, sweetheart. Did you think he wouldn’t try to provide for the one family member you have left?”
She never thought she’d be in the position of even considering it. A tear slipped down her cheek. “Why would he do that? Why would Connie? They don’t know Alicia—hell, I don’t know her anymore—but they know about my family. Why would they do that?”
“Because they love you. We all do. Alicia isn’t the product of her upbringing any more than you are. The pair of you have to be the most resilient, courageous women I know. Despite