Page 38 of Our Little Dove

It feels like I’ve been sitting on my kitchen floor for ages. I was hesitant to ask Molly to come over, but she has a way of lifting my spirits when I’m feeling down, and I definitely need that after what I discovered at the studio.

Clover Ink; It makes sense. Those Irish bastards work there.

Kieran’s impressive tattoos and Fintan’s heavenly piercings come to mind as I run everything through my mind for the millionth time.

As I sit here, the cold tiles beneath me provide a stark contrast to the blazing turmoil swirling in my mind. I hyperventilate and my tears roll freely as I remember them. Every detail, as if they are right here with me.

Molly’s anxious knock on the front door interrupts my thoughts, and I don’t bother wiping away the tears that continue to spill over. With a deep breath, I try to collect myself but fail.

“It’s open!” I cry out, finally attempting to wipe the wetness from my flushed cheeks.

“Hey, oh my God, are you okay?” Molly greets me with a concerned and frantic tone as she walks in.

“Hey,” I manage a weak smile in return, suddenly grateful for her presence.

She takes one look at my wet, red-rimmed eyes and rushes over to my seated position on the icy tiles of my kitchen. Without needing to ask, she wraps me in a comforting hug, and I let myself sink into her embrace, allowing her presence to soothe the ache in my heart and silence the war in my mind.

“What happened?” she asks softly when we finally pull away, her eyes searching mine for answers.

I swallow the lump in my throat, struggling to find the right words to explain the mess my life has become.

“Clover Ink,” I finally manage to say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Huh? The tattoo studio?” she asks as she drops her bag to the tiles and takes a seat in front of me on the floor.

“Yes,” I sniffle as I wipe my tears again.

“What about it?”

Molly’s brows furrow in confusion, but she doesn’t interrupt as I recount everything I’ve uncovered about Kieran and Fintan – my kidnappers. I tell her everything save for the video they so cruelly sent me the day after.

By the time I finish, my hands are trembling, and I feel emotionally drained as if reliving the events has sapped all the energy from my body.

Molly listens in stunned silence, her expression shifting from concern to anger as the full extent of their deception sinks in.

“I can’t believe they would do that to you,” she says, her voice laced with fury. “We have to do something about this. We have to go to the police, Lexi!”

But even as she speaks, I can’t shake the sense of helplessness that weighs heavily on my shoulders.

“We can’t,” I say coldly, meeting her eyes. “They’d get to me before the cops do anything. They know everything about me, M.”

Her lip starts to tremble as she bows her head and picks at her nails.

“I did this. It’s my fault,” she whispers.

“It is… in part. But I can’t blame you forever. I want to forgive you and it will take time, but it isn’t only your fault. I asked you to set this up for me,” I admit, feeling the weight of my own words crushing me.

She starts crying as we sit in silence for long moments. “I can’t go to the cops, but I can get revenge,” I mutter. I stopped crying and the tears are drying on my cheeks as rage floods my system.

Molly reaches out and squeezes my hand reassuringly. “How can I help? I will do anything to make this right,” she says firmly, her gaze unwavering. “I won’t let them get away with this.”

Before I can say anything, her phone chimes. “Shit, sorry, it’s probably Joel. I forgot to text him back,” she murmurs as she digs her cell out of her bag.

“Hmm, you two seem happy together,” I say, watching her eyes light up at my words before unmistakable guilt blankets her features.

“I’m happy for you two,” I say, flashing her a quick smile. She types out a seemingly long message and I interrupt her before she stops tapping away at the screen.

“Don’t tell Joel what I told you, okay? He gets intense, I’m sure you’ve noticed. Tell him everything is fine, I just needed to see you and I will see him soon.”

She looks at me with uncertainty but nods in silent agreement. As she sets her phone aside, a determined glint flickers in her eyes.