Wicked Dreams Read Free Page B

Jack said. “She … played me. She didn’t tell me she could’ve tried out for the WNBA and made it on half of the teams before we started.”
    “She’s always been a good athlete,” Michael said, chuckling. “She’s not that good, though.”
    “She had home court advantage,” Jack grumbled. “We’re having a rematch now that I know what I’m up against. I won’t let her win again.”
    “Wait,” Brian said, holding up his hand. “Did you lose because she’s good enough to be in the WNBA, she had home court advantage, or you let her win? Those are three different things.”
    “I … let it go,” Jack sputtered. “We have more important things to focus on.”
    “We do,” Brian agreed, grinning despite himself. “We have to focus on the basketball star and the fact that she doesn’t like to lose any more than you do. Trust me. She’s going to find a way to win in this situation, too.”
    “I’m not sure there’s going to be any way to win this situation,” Jack said, sobering. “This is going to be bad no matter what.”
     
    “CAN’T you please say something?” Ivy asked. “I’m not asking for a full sentence. Just say one word. Tell me to shut up if you want to. I can take it.”
    The girl tilted her head to the side, her dirty blonde hair dipping low on her shoulders as she regarded Ivy.
    “Please,” Ivy prodded.
    “I’m still hungry.”
    The words took Ivy by surprise and yet caused her heart to soar at the same time. While the girl wasn’t opening up about her ordeal, or even saying her name, she also wasn’t closing herself off to the possibility of Ivy helping her.
    “I can deal with that,” Ivy said. “I have a lot more food back at the house. If you don’t like any of it, I’m betting I can get something delivered that you will like.”
    “I … .” The girl broke off, biting her lower lip uncertainly.
    “I’m not going to pressure you,” Ivy said. “I just want you to stand up and walk with me.”
    “Can’t you just bring the food out here?”
    “No,” Ivy said, shaking her head. “This isn’t a place for food. It will draw scavengers. I can take you out of here, though. I can help you get cleaned up. I can feed you as much as you want to eat. You have to trust me, though.”
    The girl shrank back slightly.
    “I promise you can trust me,” Ivy said, extending her hand. “I won’t hurt you. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I’m meaner than I look in case you’re worried about someone coming to look for you here. I won’t let anyone touch you.”
    The girl studied Ivy’s hand for a moment and Ivy’s heart stuttered when she finally reached out and took it. Ivy kept her smile in place as she helped the girl to her feet and started to lead her out of the greenhouse.
    It wasn’t much. It wasn’t answers. It wasn’t a solution. It wasn’t a happily ever after. It was something, though, and for now Ivy was more than willing to take it.

Three
    “Absolutely not,” Jack said, gritting his teeth as he leaned against Ivy’s counter.
    After leading the girl to her house – bypassing the helpful paramedic with an apologetic smile – and promising to find something for her to eat while she was in the bathroom taking a shower, Ivy informed Brian and Jack that she was keeping the girl until she felt safe enough to talk.
    Brian was blasé about the announcement while Jack was bitterly against it. Ivy was expecting both reactions.
    “Why not?” Ivy crossed her arms over her chest obstinately.
    “Because I said so,” Jack replied.
    “She’s going to be comfortable here,” Ivy said. “It will be me and her. There won’t be anyone to scare her. If it’s just the two of us I might be able to get her to open up. How can that possibly be a bad idea?”
    Jack made a face. “That’s not how things work in situations like this,” he said. “We have to call the state. They have people – counselors even – who are trained to deal with things like this. The