Page 85 of The Secrets She Keeps

Powell’s brother flinched. He pulled his hand back. There was blood on his hand. Her blood. The red was such a brilliant color.

He had probably been terrified. Just like she had been when Bonnie had been missing. When Hope had been.

He loved his little sister so much.

It might be one of his few redeeming qualities.

“Tell her…tell her…she doesn’t have to be afraid of that man with the scar anymore, okay? She was so afraid of him. And what he kept saying he would do to her later. But he can’t do that now. BecauseIkilled him. He’s dead now.” She looked into Nikkie Jean’s hazel eyes. “I killed him. He kicked me in the chest. While I was fighting him. But I killed him. Because I had the pipe too. They didn’t know they’d put us in the closet with that pipe. And I hit him, after I cut him with the box cutter too. The man with the scar. I killed him, Nikkie Jean. When he tried to touch me that last time, after Powell got away and he was so angry. He won’t hurt anyone else any more, though. Barratt, you should tell Luc that they were using his warehouses. Tell Gunnar, it’s…but they are burning the evidence now!And all of the OPJ. It’ll be a chemical fire soon. That can be extra dangerous for the responders. Someone should call it in, really. Warn them.”

“I’ll do that,” Nikkie Jean said, waving toward the doors for some reason. “We’ll take care of everything now. Heather…we need to get you inside now. We are going inside now. Together. You just focus on what I’m saying, okay? I’m going to take you inside, and then get Bonnie for you. She’s just up the road, at the TSP right now. I am going to have Izzie call her. I’ll get Bonnie here, fifteen minutes tops.”

A sharp pain went through her breast. It reminded her. “I didn’t leave enough milk for my baby girl in the freezer, Nikkie Jean. Ember…she is going to be so hungry. She needs me. I need to go home to my baby. I need to get to her. I should have gone home to her and my Frankie first, but the hospital was so much closer. And I was hoping Joy or Bonnie…the others…my nieces…someone would be here. The hospital wasn’t as close as the TSP but I didn’t want to gothere.I just…couldn’t. I should go home first, right? To my baby. So she has enough milk while I am gone. Except…he kicked me so hard in the chest, and it hurts.”

“We’ll make sure the baby gets enough milk. I promise. We have donated breastmilk here. I’ll give some to Bonnie if this takes too long, okay? It’s clean and safe, and I’ll make sure Bonnie gets enough for Ember. As much as your baby needs, I’ll make sure she has it. I promise. Let’s get you inside so you can go home to Ember and Frankie sooner, okay?”

Heather nodded. Nikkie Jean understood, at least. “Thank you. I just can’t remember if we have any breastmilk left in the freezer for my baby.”

“She’s been talking like this since she walked right up to me three minutes ago,” Powell’s brother said. Heather still couldn’t remember his name. “She walked at least a mile like this. Right past the damned TSP and no one even saw her. And her eyes…”

What was wrong with her eyes? Heather just looked at him. From those very eyes he was talking about. There was nothing wrong with her eyes, except…one really hurt. Where they’d hit her before. Maybe that was what he meant? She just watched him. Waited. Blinked. And waited.

“She’s in shock right now, Mac. And the…trauma…,” Nikkie Jean said.

Mac. That was his name. He wasMac.Hope had called him Hottie Mackie McBarratt.

“Heather, we’re going to get you inside now. Rafe is coming, and Caine. We’ll get you inside and taken care of. You’ll be safe now.”

Well, now that just didn’t make any sense. Why should she care that Denita’s sons were coming? They weren’therfamily. They had all made thatveryclear. She hadn’t said more than two words to those men in the months since Eastman, even at that stupid barbecue. She’d said more toQuadethan she had the nephews who lived in the same state she did. She liked Quade far more too.

She just looked at her nephew’s wife. “Why? You are not on my side. None of you are.Theydefinitely aren’t. Denita’s other children. And definitely nothim,Luc. That man would toss us all aside in a heartbeat to get what he wants. Stand there and watch us drown if it serves his purpose. Just like Denita would. Weknowthat. We have always known that. Since…Eastman. After what Eastman did. Please don’t lie to me. Truth…is really important, you know.”

“Well, I am on your side right now. I promise. I don’t believe we should be on different sides of anything, so I am not going to be,” Nikkie Jean said. Her hand was on Heather now too. They both were touching her. Nikkie Jean and Powell’s brother. The prettiest one. “We’ll deal with all of that later. Let’s just take care of your headache first, okay?”

Then someone else was there. Two someones. Big someones.

Male someones.

Heather jerked away. Turned around to face the threat. “No…I don’t want them to touch me. I don’t.Please.”

Her nephews stood there. She was boxed in. Heather couldn’t get away. She just couldn’t. “I want my sisters now. Please. I just want my sisters, notthem. I just want my mom. Bonnie. I want Bonnie right now. Please.”

Heather’s knees just buckled. And she went down, as she screamed. To the concrete. Then…someone was touching her, from behind. But she couldn’t fight, couldn’t get away.

He was…holding her up now.

Slipping an arm beneath her knees. Saying she would be okay.

That he would make sure of it. Forever.

Hewasn’t hurting her. He was promising he would keep her safe. Forever. Of course, she didn’t believe him, but at least it sounded nice.

Then…the world was shifting.

She rested her head on his shoulder. Just for a moment. He was so warm, and she wasn’t. “My head hurts so much…Mac. You are Powell’s brother Mac. I remember now.”

“Yes, I’m Mac. Okay, baby. I’ll get you inside.” That was Powell’s brotherMactalking. The one who made jokes. Not Alex, who was grumpy a lot, and lived right next door. “I’ll get you there, Heather. I promise.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” Heather heard Nikkie Jean telling someone to get a female-only team ready. What team? Nothing made sense. Nothing.

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