Page 81 of Justice II

“I gotta get home because of the girls,” he said.

“I know.”

“Mehar agreed to sit with the girls after school this week while I look for a new nanny. I told her I’d be back before dinner.”

“How’s that going?”

“She told Storie yesterday she’d put her out the car on the Beltway if she rolled her eyes one more time.”

“What about Rita?”

“She’s with Prime now. It’s easier over there with everything going on.”

I held my towel tighter.

“I miss her. I even miss her calling me Everly.”

He looked at me in the mirror.

“She asks about you,” he said. “Well, she asks about Everly. I figured that counts.”

“I’d like to see her again.”

“We’ll definitely make that happen. You’ve become like family to her. She still fusses at me for letting you go.”

“She should.” I playfully nudged him.

He got dressed while I sat on the edge of the bed in my towel. Before he left, he came over to say goodbye.

He cradled my face with his hands, eying me deeply.

“The room is paid up for a month. Order anything you want. Here’s my black card. Get whatever you need. New clothes, toiletries. Shit, if you wanna buy a new whip — it’s yours.”

“Is this because you feel guilty?”

“Nah, it’s because I love you and our new baby. I’ll work out what to do about Storie. In the meantime, I need you to learn to relax. That stress ain’t good for our baby. I’ll call you later tonight and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

He kissed me slowly and then left me alone.

The suite felt twice as big after the door shut. I walked back out into the living room. My blue top was still on the floor by the window. One burgundy boot was standing up by the sofa and the other was on its side. There was a crystal glass on its side at the far end of the dining table.

I tidied up and got dressed. I then picked up my phone to call Aubrey and tell her what happened. I saw that she hit me several times. Before I could return her call, I saw that Keenan had hit me up.

Keenan: He beats Aria. I just thought you should know. He’s the same way with her.

My first thought was ugly but I let myself have it.

Good. That’s what she fuckin’ deserves. She got the same man that I had.

My little sister stood in that courtroom rubbing his back while the prosecutors called me a monster. And he let them. That bitch watched him put his hands on my son and did nothing about it.

She climbed into my husband’s bed and never once asked me what he did to me in it. Now he was doing it to her.

Serves you right, Aria.

Maybe she was ready to help me? She was pregnant and he was beating her. Perhaps now she was ready for a change.