She flinched.
The tiny movement broke something inside me.
I lowered my hands immediately.
“Sophie, I won't touch you unless you want me to.”
Her eyes filled.
Then she leaned into my arms.
I held her.
For a long time.
Eventually, she continued.
“Every time I tried to stand, somebody pushed me back down.”
“Did they use anything besides their hands?”
“No. Caroline kept saying they didn't need weapons because bruises could be explained.”
My jaw clenched.
“And Jake?”
That was when Sophie stopped breathing normally.
She pulled away from me.
“I heard him.”
“Where?”
“Outside the door.”
I waited.
Sophie looked directly at me.
“He told Caroline not to damage my face too badly because people might notice.”
There are moments when anger is hot.
Wild.
Explosive.
This was not one of them.
My anger became cold.
Absolute.
Almost peaceful.
I rose from the sofa.
“Where's my phone?”
Sophie panicked.
