Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Sometimes, when Macy talks to me like this, I actually believe her. I actually believe that I’m lucky to be alive.
I certainly don’t want to be dead. I do want to live. I’ve never thought about ending my life, not even on the island.
In fact, for me, the island wasn’t all that bad. I’ve told Macy that, and it makes her so sad. For her to know that my childhood was so awful that being abused and tortured and violated by depraved men while in captivity on an island wasn’t so bad for me.
Sure, they hurt me sometimes. They hurt me physically more than my mother ever did, but there’s one thing my mother did do for me. She made me numb. Immune to pain after a while. So it was easy for me to compartmentalize what happened to me. To accept my fate, and to know that it would eventually be over. One of them was actually nice to me. If “nice” includes violating me with a body part rather than a knife. I called him The Dark One, though he said his name was Mr. Smith.
A lot of them used the named Smith.
I was The Dark One’s favorite. For a while, anyway.
“So,” Macy says, “bring your gratitude journal with you next time so I can see it. It will help me help you.”
“Sure. It won’t be too personal.”
“Even if it is personal, I hope you’ll share with me. Knowing how you’re thinking and feeling is the best way for me to help you. What else is going on? You have a new job.”
“Like I said”—I sigh—“I have this new bodyguard.”
“And…”
“I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Kelly, you’ve been worried about the texts.”
“I guess I just thought it was Brindley.”
“What if it isn’t Brindley? We need to be concerned about whoever is threatening you.”
“They brought in this Navy SEAL.”
“Right. Reid works with a couple of ex-SEALs.”
“Yeah.”
“Is he bothering you?”
“No, not really.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The problem is…
“Yes?”
“I slept with him, Macy. I slept with Leif Ramsey.”
29
LEIF
Buck and I meet with Reid in his office during lunch. He and Rock brought a spread of Thai food into the conference room, and I’ve got to say, I’m starving. The bacon and eggs with Kelly this morning were good, but I worked up quite an appetite last night.
Aspen and Buck are seated next to me on one side of the table, with Rock and Reid at each end. Rock’s wife Lacey also joins us.
“Did you tell Kelly that her mother has requested to see her?” Reid asks me.
“Yeah, but she doesn’t want to, and I don’t think we should force her.”
“We don’t force these women to do anything,” Reid says. “But this is her mother.”
“I agree with Leif,” Rock interjects. “You and I have no love lost for our mother.”
“Our mother is a raving bitch,” Reid says.
“I don’t know Kelly’s mother,” I say, “but I get the feeling that her childhood was less than great. Sure, Kelly was abused and tortured on that island”—I wince at the thought—“but she all but told me the rest of her life wasn’t a whole lot better.”
“She did?” Reid asks.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t mean to seem surprised”—Reid furrows his brow—“but she made it pretty darn clear she didn’t really want you anywhere near her.”
“We’ve had some talks. I took her out yesterday morning to look for jobs, and she got one. She’s going to be waiting tables at The Glass House. She starts tonight.”
“That’s great,” Aspen says. “We’ll have to go have dinner and give her some business, Buck.”
“I don’t know, baby,” Buck says. “She’ll probably think we’re checking up on her.”
Aspen nods. “Good point. I wasn’t thinking. Kelly seems to take everything the wrong way.”
“But it is nice to show that we’re supporting her,” Lacey says from across the table.
“She’s funny.” I shake my head. “I think, deep down, she wants support. She needs support. But something inside her just can’t accept it. Which is why I don’t want her to have to see her mother if she doesn’t want to. I think that woman did a huge number on her.”
“Only Macy would know,” Reid says. “And those records are private.”
“I know,” I say. “If she’s even truthful with Macy.”
“Actually, I’m getting very good reports from Macy,” Reid says. “She doesn’t divulge any details, of course, but she would let us know if Kelly needed more help.”
Aspen nods. “Macy is a great therapist. She helped me a lot, and I know Katelyn adores her.”
“The other women like her as well,” Reid agrees, “and although Kelly hasn’t said anything, Macy feels they have very good rapport. She believes Kelly is making progress. So I think the sessions with Macy need to continue. For as long as Kelly wants them.”
“Yes, of course,” Lacey says. “But in the meantime, why can’t we all support her?”