I turn her over and kiss her deeply.
“As much as I’d like to stay in bed with you all day, I need to get ready. I have to pick up Elle shortly.”
I kiss her on the forehead and go to the bathroom. I’m not happy to be going to see Nash today for more than one reason. I know it hurts Mercy, and that’s the last thing I want to do. The other reason is that I’m so angry with him and it will take a lot to contain my rage. I’m still having a difficult time wrapping my head around the fact that the kid I raised turned into a man that was even capable of kidnapping and raping a woman. I know the only reason he didn’t rape her was because he was interrupted. I understand it was the drugs, but I can’t believe that this is what the baby I cradled turned into. As much as I don’t want to go, I have to be there for Elle. I’m not going to let her see him by herself.
After I’m showered and dressed, I walk to the kitchen expecting to find Mercy there, but she’s not, so I walk down the hallway toward the guest bedrooms and find her sitting on Ivy’s bed. Her gaze is on the floor, but it’s not really. She’s far away, lost in her thoughts. I sit beside her and sigh.
“I’m sorry.”
After a long minute, she shakes her head, “It’s okay.”
“Hurting you will never be okay.”
A tear rolls down her cheek, “I know you need to go with Elle. I understand. But it doesn’t feel good.”
She takes a huge breath, “It kind of feels like you’re taking his side over mine. Like what happened wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“Jesus, baby. No. That’s not the case at all. He kidnapped you with full intentions of raping you. How the fuck could it not be that big of a deal?”
I pull her into my arms, “I love you. Please don’t dwell on this today. The social worker will be here this afternoon at three.”
“Will you be here?” She asks.
“Yes, of course. Why don’t I call you when we are done? Maybe we can have lunch?”
She nods, and I lean down to kiss her briefly.
“I love you, Liam.”
I kiss her neck, “I love you too. Why is it so hard to leave you?”
After standing, I pull out my wallet and hand her my American Express card.
“Go buy Ivy some amazing things.”
Ten
LIAM
I pullup outside of Xander and Isabella’s house, where Elle is now staying. She slides in.
“Where’s Stony Max?”
She giggles, “I told him to stay back. My big brother can protect me today, I think he misses it.”
I smirk, “Hardly.”
I spent a great deal of time during her high school years shooing the boys away. They were relentless, they all wanted her. But I wasn’t having it. My baby sister wasn’t going to be used up by teenage boys with a hard on.
“How did everything go last night?”
I grin, “Perfect.”
“You look happier.”
She grabs the door handle as we go up and down the hilly landscape.
“Mercy was pretty upset about me going to see Nash.”