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“I’ll give you my afternoon snack every day.”

That made him perk up. “Deal.”

Katrina sniffled, and I knew she wanted to cry.

“I’m not going to hurt you. Tommy won’t hurt you either,” I assured her.

The sacrificed snacks were worth it.

“But the others?”

“I won’t let them.”

She nodded. “What is your name?”

“Rain.”

She blinked. “You smell like a summer storm.”

Tommy hooted.

I lifted my middle finger and flipped him off. “Shut up.” Looking at Katrina, I smiled. “I’m going to set up your bed.”

Her head tilted to the side before she glanced at the room. The space allowed bunk beds, two dressers, a lamp, and a closet. Nothing else. She noticed.

The little angel was smart.

I turned to Tommy. “Give me your extra blanket.”

“The fuck?”

I smacked him. “Don’t cuss in front of her. She’s little.”

“I’m not little,” she fired back.

All three of us knew she lied.

Tommy grinned. “She’ll be alright.” He pulled a blanket off his bed and tossed it to Rain. “I get hot anyway.”

“That’s why you don’t need two of them.”

I opened the closet and cleared out some of the junk, picking it up and placing it on the shelf above the clothing rod. We didn’t have much, so there was plenty of room inside. With the floor clear, I spread the blanket around, making a little den for her to snuggle in like a little bunny. I was the only one with two pillows, and I gave that up for her, too, placing it on one side and her suitcase at the other end.

“There. You’re all set.”

She bit her lip. “I don’t want to take off my coat.”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want except sleep in there, so I know you’re safe.”

She seemed to think it over and nodded her agreement. I watched her lay down and settle, pulling part of the blanket around her and pushing her back against the wall. It made me sad that she already understood that danger existed and that she had to protect herself like that.

“How old are you?” I asked as I sank to my knees.

“Five,” she whispered.

“I’m eight and a half.”

“I don’t like the dark,” she confessed. “Monsters hide in closets.”