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“We’re safe, baby. Momma will keep you safe,” she whispered as he turned those golden yellow eyes to me. He slunk behind her leg, hiding from me, and I exhaled.

“We need to talk.”

Chapter Three

“You can’t keep hiding,” I told her, keeping my voice calm but firm. Nicky played with a stack of blocks my Dad had dug up from somewhere as I sat next to Sam on the bed.

“I’m not hiding,” she denied instantly. “I’m regrouping.”

“By hiding?” She shot me a glare and I held up my hands. “What else should I call it? I’ve stayed in this room. It’s not that nice. Anyone who voluntarily chooses to lock themselves in here is hiding or seriously into self-punishment.”

She snorted, rubbing her neck as she watched Nicky knock down the blocks he’d stacked. “And you’d be the expert on both?”

“I have been known to hide under the covers on occasion.”

“And self-punishment?”

“We might have painted but this room is still only 250 square feet. For you and a toddler. I would call that some type of punishment.” I squeezed her hand and she closed her eyes. “You refuse to see Dom or your dad. You tell Trent to fuck off, which I completely understand by the way.” She smiled faintly and I pushed on. “You barely come out of this room. It’s not healthy. They need you.”

She sent me a sideways glance, her mouth firm as she pushed back a lank lock of hair.

“You haven’t showered in a while,” I added, wrinkling my nose.

“I can’t take care of myself. What makes you think they need me?” She asked, choosing to ignore my last statement.

“They followed you here. They trusted you with their lives. Their children’s lives.” She closed her eyes, but not fast enough as a tear trickled down her cheek. “They need what you represent, Sam. A chance. An opportunity for a different life.”

“I’m scared,” she admitted finally, the words hollow. “They’re going to come and I can’t protect them.”

“You don’t have to,” I told her, shifting closer as I draped my arm over her shoulder. “You just have to show them how to live in spite of the fear.”

“What if I don’t know how?”

“But you do,” I argued, shaking her. “Why do you think you ran away from the Hanleys? Because you knew what it was like without that fear and hate and rage.”

She licked her lips, the dry skin cracked and chapped. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to be that girl again.”

I laughed, startling her and Nicky, as the sound filled the space. “Strong enough? Is that a joke?” I released her, standing up to face her directly. “You might be the strongest woman I’ve ever met and I’m a little tired of the pity party you’ve got going on here.” She flinched as I held up two fingers, barely an inch apart, to indicate how tired of it I was. “You are better than this.”

“You don’t understand,” she growled, a little fight coming back to her.

“No. I don’t. I didn’t live your life.” She blinked at me as I waved my arm around crazily. “But you know who did? Them. They know. They understand. And they need you.”

She stared at me warily, probably waiting for me to start jumping around or doing something equally crazy, but I just crossed my arms. She needed to make the decision.

“You might be right,” she said haltingly. “I feel stuck. Too scared to move forward and too scared to go back.” She swallowed, hollow eyed as she stared at Nicky playing. “I didn’t think we’d make it. I thought they’d figure it out. That they’d drag us back and punish us.” I relaxed my arms as she spoke, remembering the terror I’d felt when they held me captive and realizing she’d felt that way for years. I couldn’t begin to comprehend it. “I don’t know what to do.” She shrugged, her eyes pleading as they met mine. “I don’t know what’s next.”

I smiled, knowing exactly what came next as I said, “Let’s start with a shower.”

Her breath came out in a rush and I grabbed her arm, tugging her to her feet.

“I know. Sounds crazy, but I promise you everything is better after a shower. And clothes. Clean ones,” I added with a nod. She stared at me and I shoved her toward the bathroom. “Go. Trust me.” She glanced at Nicky. “I will take care of him. In fact, I’ll take him downstairs. We’ll go for a walk.” Her fists clenched involuntarily, but after a moment, she nodded. “One step at a time, Sam.”

“Hey, Nicky, Nicky, my little mickey,” I sang catching his surprised glance. “Why don’t you and me go exploring?” He glanced at Sam, who nodded encouragingly, a smile fixed on her face. He nodded warily, but allowed me to take his hand. “We’ll meet you downstairs,” I told Sam as I led him to the door. When she didn’t tackle me at the door, I let out a sigh of relief.