19. Della

CHAPTER 19

Della

I t's been two weeks since being released from the hospital. As far as I know, everyone has either been captured or killed, and last I heard, the first girl I healed, Amy, was doing well in Florida with her grandparents. I'm relieved, to say the least, but also starting to get annoyed.

My father and Holy are treating me with kid gloves. Not allowing me to do anything by myself. I always have a shadow. Even Cowboy has gone to extremes lately. I feel like a stranger in my home, and I'm tired of it.

Deciding to take matters into my own hands, I grab my phone and call Cece. We were supposed to go to the market again next week, but I'm thinking today would be better.

"Della? Is everything okay?" She sounds like she's been crying.

"Yes, fine. Are you okay?"

She sniffles, and I realize immediately I'm about to be lied to. "Perfect. I was just studying."

Sighing, I want to wrap my young friend up in a big hug. Her mother is atrocious, and I wish she'd take my offer to move in here with me. "I was thinking of heading to the craft market; care to come?"

"Yes!" I smile at her enthusiasm.

"Great. Cowboy and I will come get you. Pack a bag so you can spend a few nights here." I know she mostly does her schooling online now that Odette isn't in class with her.

"Oh. Okay, sure. I'll just tell…Mother." The single word is filled with so much fear that I experience her anxiety through the phone.

"I'll see you soon." Hanging up, I get a bad feeling about what's happening in her home, and being unaware does me no good.

Finding my father in his office, pacing, I wonder if he knows. "Dad?" He turns and smiles at me, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Cowboy and I are going to get Cece and then heading to the market. She's going to spend a few days here."

He frowns but doesn't argue. "Where's Holy?"

My turn to be frustrated. "Malice needs his help with something, so he'll be there for the day and likely night." Holy wouldn't tell me what the trouble was and refused my help. I know I've been a helpless girl for a long time, but I'm not entirely useless, and I hate that they see me as fragile. "I'll let him know my plans after I leave." Dad opens his mouth but swiftly closes it. He's decided he doesn't like getting in between Holy and me when we start arguing.

We've been doing that a lot. Mostly because he doesn't like me doing anything, and I'm going insane.

It doesn't help that I can strongly discern the distance between us because of all that's happened. I don't know if he's freaked out or if he's unsure about us. The sexual tension is still there, and I often wake up in the middle of the night, sweating and on the cusp of gratification because he holds me tenderly until morn. I feel his desire, but he doesn't act on it, and I don't know what to do.

"Cowboy!" I holler as I leave Dad's office. The man is right around the corner. "Get the car, please." His eyes move to my father before nodding and doing as I ask. "I don't need permission," I grumble to the man behind me.

"I realize you don't, sweetheart, and I'd never ask for you to request it. But please remember we found you on death's door that day. Seeing you in that state isn't something Holy, Cowboy, or I will forget anytime soon. It's ingrained in our memories." Crap. Spinning around, I hug my father tight. The first thing he told me once I came home was that he was indeed my biological father, and the tension between us instantly melted away. He knew how important it was to my state of mind, so while I was in the hospital, he made sure to get a definitive answer.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I don't mean to be difficult, but my experience was different. I hate what happened, but in a way, it freed me from thinking I was trapped with this gift. Now I see that it can actually help people, and I think I want the opportunity to do so." I've been spending a lot of time speaking with Selena about how she helps people, not just as a nurse but as an empath as well, and I think I might have found a way to do the same but in a different capacity.

"I love you, Della. I just want you safe and happy." Looking up at him, I can tell he's sincere; I feel it in every fiber of my being.

"I know, and I'm getting there. I'd like the same for you, you know." He growls when I wink. "Cece might be young, but she'd be so good for you." It's the first time I've outright said that to him. He hesitates because she's younger than me, and he struggles with that. "Besides, we're friends already. You don't need to worry about her and I getting along."

As Cowboy returns to tell me the car is ready, I kiss Dad on the cheek and skip my way outside, unsurprised to find another car ready to follow behind us.

After buckling up, I shoot CJ a text. I've been worried about her a lot lately and plan to speak to Odette about her when we have dinner tomorrow.

Della: Hey, did you get back to school okay?

We talk all the time, and normally, we're quick to answer each other, so when I see she's read my message but doesn't reply, I grow more concerned.

Della: I'm here if you need to talk. Love you!

She leaves me on read again. I know better than to push her when she's working through something, but I think this is more than her trying to figure a problem out. CJ has been half in love with Nico Moretti for years. His rejection was harsh, and I'm not sure she ever expected that.

Glancing out the window, I watch the scenery until we're in the city, and I immediately notice that we aren't heading towards Cece's place. "Uh, Cowboy, what's going on?"

He shoots me a look in the mirror with a smirk. "Change of plans?"

Narrowing my eyes on him, I scowl. "Says who?" He only shrugs. "Am I going to like it?" I get a sharp nod this time as we head in the direction that Holy took to his cabin. A bolt of fear jolts through me, but I shove it aside. Cowboy and Holy would never intentionally hurt me. And it's only because of our direction that I know Holy is responsible for my bodyguard's change in plans.

A while later, we pull up in front of a cabin I didn't think I'd see again. At least, not so soon. Cowboy opens my door, and as I get out, he goes to the trunk for a bag I hadn't noticed before.

"I suppose you're just going to go now?" Cowboy puts my bag on the deck before coming back to me.

"Those were my instructions. I was told to tell you to lock the doors and not go out after dark." I stare, mouth agape, as he gets back in the vehicle and turns around.

"Where the hell is Holy?" I shout, but he just pops a hand out the window and waves.

I'm left here alone? No car to leave. Nothing. Do they not realize I am not an outdoorsy kind of girl without someone to take charge?

I'm going to kill them both.

Blowing out a deep breath, I take my bag inside and see everything is put back together, and I wonder if that's what Holy and Malice have been doing the last couple of days. I decide to text Cece in case she isn't aware of what's going on.

Della: Change of plans. Holy had Cowboy abandon me at his cabin…

Cece: I know!

Della: Why did everyone know but me?

Cece: He wants to surprise you.

Della: Except I'm here alone with instructions to lock the doors and not leave the cabin at night. Which means Holy won't even be here tonight!

Cece: You'll be fine.

Della: If a bear eats me, I'm haunting you.

She replies with laughing emojis and bears. I'm trying to play it funny, but I do genuinely worry about the frightening creatures.

Putting my things away, I check the fridge to find it stocked and grab a water and an apple. Noticing a small basket on the table in the seating area, I peek inside to find a cache of jewels, gems, and the tools to make a few bracelets or necklaces.

Setting myself up at the table, I decide to craft to kill time and hopefully take my mind off the bears that I don't really think are coming to eat me, but a girl can never be too careful.

So lost in what I'm doing, I don't notice dusk approaching until I can no longer see what I'm doing. Stretching out, I get up and flick on some lights before turning on the kettle for a cup of tea.

As I wait for the water to boil, I hear the wind picking up and start to worry again about being here by myself. I don't think I've ever been literally alone, and the more I focus on that, the more I worry about the isolation. Checking my phone to see what kind of coverage I have, there are three bars, which helps alleviate some of the brewing panic.

Strange noises bristle through the cabin, and I jump when a branch breaks somewhere beyond the walls I'm safely tucked behind.

Blowing out a breath, I play music on my phone to help drown out some of the noise. Doctoring my tea, I settle into the couch and continue my work. Not recognizing how tired the stress has made me, it's not long before I slump over after closing my eyes for a minute and fall asleep.