Page 23 of The Monsters Within

“Haizley?” I knew that would be a conflict of interest, but I was willing to stop meeting with Haizley if Rose needed her.

I had finally admitted to myself that talking to Haizley helped. Not just about Rachel, but my parents. My childhood. Even my birth parents, whom I knew nothing about. I didn’t want to give her up, but for Rose I would.

I would give up everything for her.

My thoughts turned to Rachel and the letter she left me. Her request for me to love my old lady the way I couldn’t love her. I could see now what Rachel meant. It wasn’t that I didn’t love her. Because I fucking did. I just loved Rose differently. Wholly. I wanted to give her everything I had. Holding nothing back.

Haizley helped me realize I held back a lot with Rachel. Sure, I talked about my parents. But I never told Rachel I was adopted. I never told her about going to therapy. I never told her my secrets.

“No. Kytten needs someone who specializes in children.” A sense of relief ran through me that I wouldn’t have to stop seeing Haizley just yet.

“She’s not a fucking child, Mellie.”

“No, she isn’t. But everything that happened to her. Whatever it was that caused her to start hurting herself happened when she was a child. Had it been caught then, her treatment would have been different. She needs that same treatment now, even though she is an adult.”

“Who do you recommend?”

“I know a doctor in New York. Someone who taught me everything I know. I wanted to clear it with you before I made the call.”

I looked back at Rose. She was watching me talk to Mellie. Her brows furrowed somewhere between confusion and anger, and I realized Mellie was right. Rose didn’t like her. And if there was one thing I had learned in therapy, it was that if you didn’t connect with your shrink, you wouldn’t tell them shit. You needed to trust them. And Rose didn’t trust Mellie.

“Okay. Call her.”

“Him.” I spun back to Mellie, my glare more fierce.

“Absolutely fucking not. I want her talking to a woman.”

“Cash—”

“No, Mellie.” I shook my head.

“Do you trust me, Cash?” I could see the hurt in her eyes. The accusation that I didn’t see her as the adult she was.

I rubbed the back of my head.

“Dammit, Mellie, you know I fucking trust you. I wouldn’t have asked you to work with her if I didn’t.”

“Then trust me to do what is best for Kytten. She needs to talk to a man. I know you don’t understand it. I know you won’t like it. But it’s what she needs.”

“And I’m being a jealous, selfish prick again.”

Haizley happened to be walking by as I said the words. She shrieked and threw her arms around me.

“I knew you were listening!” Mellie’s eyes bulged out, and I laughed.

“Yeah, yeah, get off me, woman, before your old man sees you crawling all over me and beats the shit out of me.”

Haizley kissed my cheek, her arms still wrapped around my neck when Gunner walked in.

“WOMAN! Get your hands off my fucking brother before I beat your ass.” His voice boomed throughout the room, causingTucker to jump up and growl. Gunner stomped forward, and Rose scurried off the couch. Her fear of the women and the dog disappeared as she stopped in front of Gunner.

All four-foot ten-inches of my woman squared up to the six-foot- eight-inch giant. With her hands on her hips and her head cranked back to look up at him as she scowled.

“Back off, Goliath. You lay one fucking hand on her and you won’t have to worry about David’s slingshot, ’cause I’ll cut off your fucking dick,” she growled.

Gunner looked at Rose, then looked at me.

I grinned at my brother. “Don’t piss her off, Gun. She held a knife to my dick the first day I met her. Never even saw her move. And she’s fucking closer to your shit than she was mine.”