Chapter 23

Isit on the toilet with my head slumped forward, feeling weak and drained, when the bathroom door opens.

"Sadie? It"s me, Elisa," a soft voice calls out.

My vocal cords feel strained, and I can't muster the energy to speak. It feels like exhaustion has taken over my entire body and mind, leaving me feeling numb and detached.

Footsteps approach the door, and I see a pair of Nike shoes appear beneath the stall. "Sadie, can I open the door? I have fresh clothes for you," Elisa says, her voice gentle and soothing.

Summoning my energy, I push myself forward, using all my might to reach over and turn the lock. I cannot recall why I locked the door in the first place since Javi made sure that no one entered except for him and Elisa.

Once the door is unlocked, Elisa pushes it open. She stands before me, holding a bag against her chest. Her face is etched with a complex expression that seemed to convey a mix of emotions, including understanding, empathy, and concern.

She is still dressed in her workout clothes. She notices that I have taken note of her attire and responds with a smile, saying, "Jo and I were at the gym when we received the call. We didn"t bother changing after we heard about you and Seb."

I return the smile.

Elisa kneels before me and softly says, "Let me help you change, Sadie."

I nod weakly.

As Elisa helps me remove my bottoms, she speaks soothing words. "You"re going to get through this, I promise."

There is something in her tone that makes me believe that everything will be alright and that I can overcome this. When I look at Elisa, I see someone who embodies strength, tenacity, and who has the ability to slay her inner demons. And she has fought those demons relentlessly by channeling her love for Jo.

When I finally find my voice, I say, "Thank you," while reaching for her hand.

Her lips gradually curl into a broad smile, causing me to reciprocate with a grin of my own.

After Elisa helps me get washed up, I throw my soiled clothes in the trash bin. There is no way in hell I am taking that shit home.

I am ready to exit the bathroom when I hear a soft knock at the door. When the door creaks open, Donnie"s tall frame fills the doorway.

The moment his gaze meets mine, a sudden rush of emotions overtakes me, and I can't hold back my tears any longer. They stream down my face uncontrollably, as if they were waiting for this moment to break free.

He rushes into the room and pulls me into his arms. "Shh, it"s okay, baby. Everything will be okay," he says, holding me close and kissing my head. "I"m here, and I"m not going anywhere," he tells me, his voice warm and soothing.

Sophia giggles and bounces up and down in her unicorn Jumperoo bouncer toy while I sit at my desk, surrounded by stacks of photographs and notes. I am deeply engrossed in my work when I hear a gentle knock at my door.

Sophia"s babbles grow louder and more joyful when I see Javi leaning in the doorway, his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Hey," he says, then gestures over his shoulder and adds, "Tia just left."

"She did?" I frown, feeling a little disappointed that she didn"t say goodbye.

Javi chuckles. "She did say goodbye, but you were too focused on—" he pointed towards my desk to indicate my work.

"Can I come in?" he asks tentatively.

I welcome him with a warm smile. "Of course you can." His eyes immediately seek out Sophia, who is bouncing up and down with excitement. Without hesitation, he walks into the room, kneels before her, and holds out his arms.

Sophia eagerly climbs into his embrace, and he lifts her up, cradling her against his chest. The look on his face as he holds her close is one of pure adoration, and he presses a loving kiss to her forehead.

"How"s Gabby and Abi?" I ask him.

"They"re doing pretty good. In fact, Gabby"s been asking to see you," he responds.

I let out a small sigh. "I really need to call her and plan a date to hang out soon," I say, running my fingers through my hair and pulling it up into a ponytail.

"Don"t just plan it, do it," he says in a playful, babyish tone as he glances over at Sophia, who giggles in response.

I watch them silently for a few minutes. Without waiting for him to ask me, I say what I know he needs to hear. " I"m fine. There"s no need for you to worry about me," I reassure him, tucking my leg underneath me.

He takes a seat on the bed with Sophia in his lap. "I know you are," he says quietly, still looking at Sophia. "But that doesn"t mean I can"t worry about you."

"So, did you find out who made the false report?" I ask.

The exhaustion on his face is evident when he finally looks at me. "No, but we suspect that it's a case of swatting. It"s when people make fraudulent 911 calls, falsely reporting serious-level criminal threats or violent situations like kidnapping, causing unnecessary panic."

Who the hell would do this?

And why us?

We haven't lived here long enough to make enemies.

My eyes blinked with incredulity. "Can"t they trace the call?"

"Sometimes it"s possible, but it can also be difficult. People will use Voice over Internet Protocol services," he explains. "Sadie, this person is fucking smart. They can mask their real voice, phone number, and IP address."

A wave of acid wells up from my belly. "Oh, my God," I gasp.

"Try not to worry. I know it's not going to be easy but have faith in the local police department and in me."

"I do."

"Good."

We remain silent for a minute, attempting to absorb everything he told me. He interrupts the silence with his words after a brief pause.

"Sadie, what happened to you at the station," he shakes his head in sadness. "I am at a loss for words to express how deeply sorry I am that you had to endure that."

I nod, not knowing what to say, feeling my face flush with embarrassment and shame. The fact that I couldn"t hold my bladder made me feel small and weak. The situation that frustrated me the most was that the people who were meant to serve and protect didn"t believe Seb or me. I understand that they were just doing their job, but it made me angry that they assumed Seb was capable of something based solely on his past. It"s a betrayal of trust that cuts deep, especially after the years of abuse and degradation that I"ve endured at the hands of my own blood.

Javi reaches out and squeezes my hand. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you," he reassures me, his voice firm and resolute.

I give him a small smile, then turn my gaze to a photograph in my portfolio. The image captured Sophia"s innocence as she sat on a swing, her eyes filled with wonder and joy.

"I never felt so powerless as I did that day," I admit, my voice quivering. "But knowing that the situation could've turn out so much worse...it"s some small comfort, I suppose."

Before he can comment, there is a knock at the front door.

Javi"s eyebrows raise. "You expecting someone?" he asks.

I shake my head. The only person it could be was Donnie, but then I remember that he said he would be over later tonight.

Javi stands up and hands Sophia back to me. "I"ll go check it out," he says before leaving the room.

Sophia bounces on my thighs and cups my face with her little hands. She cocks her head to the side and starts babbling at me. I smile wide and blow a raspberry on her cheeks, making her laugh louder.

Javi"s voice breaks through our moment of playfulness. "You got a visitor, Sadie," he announces from the doorway. I look up, and my heart skips a beat when I see Seb standing beside him, his usually cheerful face etched with a deep sadness.

My heart lurches with worry. "Seb, what"s wrong?" I ask. "Is everything okay with Lupe?"

Seb"s face crinkles with confusion. "Yeah, why?" he asks, appearing taken aback by my sudden alarm.

"Your face says a different story," I tell him, holding Sophia while she wriggles and squirms to face the boys.

Seb doesn"t get the chance to respond when Javi"s phone rings. "Delgado," Javi answers.

After a brief pause, Javi"s expression changes as he listens to the person on the other end of the line. "Okay, I"ll be right over," he responds before ending the call. Javi lets out a sigh and tucks his phone away. "I have to go." He steps into the room, hugs Sophia one last time, and gives me a half hug and a kiss on my forehead. "Call Gabby," he says, giving me a stern look.

I chuckle. "I will. Be safe," I tell him.

A smirk forms on his lips. "Always," he says, giving Seb a bro hug before he leaves.

I shift my gaze toward Seb, who seems lost in thought, his eyes fixed on the carpet.

I"ve known Seb since elementary school. His struggle to convey emotions other than anger and vengeance has always been apparent. So, his showing up without reason is his way of saying, "I hear you, I see you, and I'm here for you."

And over the years, I"ve come to love his way of non-verbal support.

I break the silence and ask him, "Are you hungry?"

He raises his head and grins. "Do you even need to ask?"