she’ll mind. Then I pad into my bedroom and stand in the doorway. Loryn is sat on the bed with a photo frame in her hands. I watch as she touches the picture. It’s one of myself, Crystal and the girls. Amelia was only seven months old in that picture.
“I’ve run you a bath,” I announce whilst flipping my phone in my hands, she hastily places the photo back on my nightstand and turns to face me. “There are fresh towels on the counter with a clean toothbrush and a hairbrush. Take all the time you need.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Do you have to argue with me on everything?”
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Thank you.”
I head into my closet and pull on some boxer briefs and a plain gray tee. After grabbing a set for her, I follow her into the bathroom and place them on the counter. I need to get out of the way, and fast. She’s going to be naked momentarily and I don’t think I can handle the thought of that. With a small smile, I run into the living room and instantly turn a music channel on before checking my phone.
Sylvia : Amelia’s a little sick, I’m keeping her off school tomorrow.
I instantly call her, she answers on the first ring, “Don’t panic, she’s fine, she’s asleep. Just has a bit of an upset tummy.”
“I was worried there. Do you want me to come and collect her?”
“Not at all, she doesn’t have a temperature or anything to be concerned about. I’ll call you if anything changes,” she says softly. “Evelyn’s crying. I have to go.”
“Thanks Sylvia.”
“Don’t you worry yourself, you take care of that poor girl.” And that I can promise I will certainly do.
Chapter Eight
Bad Timing
I’m off the sofa before I can even wake up properly, I must have fallen asleep here. Who’s screaming? Loryn!
I stumble through my dark apartment before darting into my bedroom. It’s dark but I can see the screaming, writhing female in my bed via the soft glow from the moon coming through the window. I climb over her, my legs either side of her hips and grab her hands to stop her from thrashing.
“Loryn, Loryn!” I say and shake her a little. She blinks her tearful eyes open and looks straight through me for a moment before finally focusing. “It’s just a dream.”
She takes a deep shuddering breath and relaxes. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey,” I say softly and wipe away her tears. “Come on.” I climb under the covers and pull her to me. “Do you want to talk about it?”
There are a few moments of silence. I wait for her to answer.
“I locked up and went to bed as normal,” I’ll take that as a reluctant yes. “The next thing I know I’m being dragged out of bed. There are three men in my apartment ripping stuff apart, smashing things with crowbars and baseball bats.” I roll her onto her back and lean up on my elbow so I can look down at her. Her eyes are closed, I softly brush her bangs from her face.
“Go on.”
“One of the men, he grabbed me by my neck. Said his name was Daniel. He wanted Dana, I haven’t seen her since the last time she came. I swear.” She shudders. “He threw me back onto my bed and that’s when I heard the window shatter, they must have opened the shutters. They told me it was a warning to her. Not like she gives a crap about me or my store. I told him this. He just said it was too bad for me. I thought he was going to kill me.”
“Who called the cops?”
She shrugs, “I have no idea. They said it was an anonymous call. They managed to get here and arrest two of the men. Then they just left without even asking me if I was ok ay. As soon as they heard Daniel’s name
“I’ve run you a bath,” I announce whilst flipping my phone in my hands, she hastily places the photo back on my nightstand and turns to face me. “There are fresh towels on the counter with a clean toothbrush and a hairbrush. Take all the time you need.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Do you have to argue with me on everything?”
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Thank you.”
I head into my closet and pull on some boxer briefs and a plain gray tee. After grabbing a set for her, I follow her into the bathroom and place them on the counter. I need to get out of the way, and fast. She’s going to be naked momentarily and I don’t think I can handle the thought of that. With a small smile, I run into the living room and instantly turn a music channel on before checking my phone.
Sylvia : Amelia’s a little sick, I’m keeping her off school tomorrow.
I instantly call her, she answers on the first ring, “Don’t panic, she’s fine, she’s asleep. Just has a bit of an upset tummy.”
“I was worried there. Do you want me to come and collect her?”
“Not at all, she doesn’t have a temperature or anything to be concerned about. I’ll call you if anything changes,” she says softly. “Evelyn’s crying. I have to go.”
“Thanks Sylvia.”
“Don’t you worry yourself, you take care of that poor girl.” And that I can promise I will certainly do.
Chapter Eight
Bad Timing
I’m off the sofa before I can even wake up properly, I must have fallen asleep here. Who’s screaming? Loryn!
I stumble through my dark apartment before darting into my bedroom. It’s dark but I can see the screaming, writhing female in my bed via the soft glow from the moon coming through the window. I climb over her, my legs either side of her hips and grab her hands to stop her from thrashing.
“Loryn, Loryn!” I say and shake her a little. She blinks her tearful eyes open and looks straight through me for a moment before finally focusing. “It’s just a dream.”
She takes a deep shuddering breath and relaxes. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey,” I say softly and wipe away her tears. “Come on.” I climb under the covers and pull her to me. “Do you want to talk about it?”
There are a few moments of silence. I wait for her to answer.
“I locked up and went to bed as normal,” I’ll take that as a reluctant yes. “The next thing I know I’m being dragged out of bed. There are three men in my apartment ripping stuff apart, smashing things with crowbars and baseball bats.” I roll her onto her back and lean up on my elbow so I can look down at her. Her eyes are closed, I softly brush her bangs from her face.
“Go on.”
“One of the men, he grabbed me by my neck. Said his name was Daniel. He wanted Dana, I haven’t seen her since the last time she came. I swear.” She shudders. “He threw me back onto my bed and that’s when I heard the window shatter, they must have opened the shutters. They told me it was a warning to her. Not like she gives a crap about me or my store. I told him this. He just said it was too bad for me. I thought he was going to kill me.”
“Who called the cops?”
She shrugs, “I have no idea. They said it was an anonymous call. They managed to get here and arrest two of the men. Then they just left without even asking me if I was ok ay. As soon as they heard Daniel’s name
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