Sizzle (17 page)

I lift the blanket and wrap it around her shoulders but not before I notice the black and blue bruises on her shoulder. They’re finger marks and look like she was grabbed roughly. I pretend nothing is wrong, though every nerve ending I possess is screaming to beat the shit out of the person responsible. “Lie back, baby, so I can get the rest off. I’ll put you in a bath as soon as the doctor finishes.” She lies back and I remove her shorts. The shorts are yellow with dried urine and she’s wearing no underwear. I’m guessing she’s potty-trained because otherwise I would think she’d be in a diaper. Really, though, what the hell do I know? She’s so compliant and that alone drives my anger up another notch.

The doctor steps over. “Hi, Kiley, you may call me Carlo. My job is to make sure you don’t have any owies. If you do, then I’m the one who makes them better. Did you choose a name for your doll? She sure is pretty.”

He talks to her the entire time. Kiley remains quiet and observant. She moves when he asks and never sheds a tear. He listens to the doll’s chest and then to hers. Dr. Santos obviously knows children, because I never would have thought of this. First he examines something on the doll and then her. He explains it all in terms a three year old should understand. I have no idea if she does because her expression never changes. He moves with slow, gentle precision and does nothing to startle her.

I’m so relieved when he’s finished and wraps the blanket around her. He turns to me. “I’ll write two prescriptions. She’s dehydrated and the small blisters on her wrists are scabies. I also think she has a urinary tract infection, but I won’t know for sure without a urine sample. There is redness in her groin area, but I believe that is caused by the infection and not abusive contact. I saw no signs of vaginal tearing.” His words make me exhale in relief. I listen attentively as he continues. “I will leave what you need for a urine sample and you can try to get it. I’d rather not have you bring her into the office to catheterize her if at all possible. Get as much water as possible down her. I doubt she’s had immunizations, but again I would rather see her settled first. She needs stability right now and she needs someone to trust. It’s the most important thing you can give her. I will leave my card so you may call my personal cell number if you have further concerns.”

“Thank you.” I feel like crying again, but I don’t want Kiley to see me break down. “I’ll put her in a bath.”

“The blanket she’s using will need to be washed as well as the doll due to the scabies. It’s contagious, but more so for other children. I’ll leave detailed instructions with Señor Gomez.”

I nod and head back to the bed to pick up Kiley and take her to Alex’s bathroom with the monster bathtub. When I exit the room, Gabriella is standing outside the door with several small clothing items over her arm. I can hear the men talking in the other room.

“I have brought these for la niña. Please allow me to help with your needs.” Gabriella’s expression holds only concern.

“I’m sure she’s hungry and the doctor said she’s dehydrated. We can feed her when she’s out of the bath. If you could bring a cup of juice or water that would be wonderful.”

“Si, Señorita. I will place these in Señor Gomez’s bathroom if that is acceptable.”

“Thank you, I don’t believe Alex will mind if I bathe her in there.”

“No, Señorita, he will not mind.”

She smiles and leans into Kiley and pushes a wisp of red hair off her face. She says an entire sentence in Spanish. Kiley watches her openly and her eyes follow as Gabriella leads us into Alex’s room.

“I will return shortly and I have promised her a cookie while she bathes. I do not think a cookie will cause a problem, do you, Señorita?”

“No, Gabriella, I do not. And please, call me Celina.”

She leaves without acknowledging my first name. I know we’ve made strides, or at least Kiley has. I sit on the edge of the tub, turn on the water, and adjust the temperature with Kiley in my lap.

“I will only put a small amount of water in and we will wash you up first. Then I will run new bathwater and you can play if you’d like.” Of course she says nothing and I realize that playing is something she’s most likely seen little of. When I’m ready to place her in the bath, I stand her up and remove the blanket. My anger stays jacked when I see her tiny frame again with prominent ribs and the bruises on her shoulder. For her sake, I keep my voice gentle. “I’ll put your doll up here on the cabinet while you bathe, okay?” I try to take the doll from her arms, but she holds on tightly. “You know what? Carlo said your baby needs a bath too. She can get in with you, but we’ll need to dry her when we’re done.” I lift Kiley and place her feet in the bath. With a fresh washcloth, I wash her from the neck down. The water turns gray as I do it. I gently clean the areas at her wrists because the blisters look irritated. She stands clutching the doll the entire time. I make a show of giving the baby doll a bath too. The thing is wringing wet within a short time. Gabriella enters a few minutes later with a tray. She includes an additional plastic cup for me to use to pour water over Kiley to remove the soap.

“I have children’s shampoo here too. Señora Moon and I made a list while you retrieved la niña.” She looks at Kiley. “I have two cookies for you. One sugar and one peanut butter. You pick the one you like or both after the soap is rinsed off.”

Gabriella leaves and I turn to Kiley. “She likes you and now you have two cookies.” Kiley’s eyes travel to the tray on the counter. “Let’s get the soap off and you may have one cookie before we wash your hair.” Her cheeks are still smudged with dirt and her eyes look so incredibly large on her face. I grab the other cup first and tip it to her tiny pixy mouth. “Drink a bit of this.” She doesn’t lift her hand or help me, but she drinks until I pull the cup away. It’s a quarter gone. I wipe off her face with a cloth and quickly use the other cup to rinse her. When I’m done, I dry my hands and hers with a towel before handing over the large sugar cookie. She squeezes her doll beneath her right arm and takes the cookie. “Go ahead, you can eat it,” I tell her when she hesitates. She doesn’t nibble the cookie to see if she likes it, she inhales the thing.

There is a fire in hell for the people who starved and abused my niece. I hope Dax kills each one of them so they begin their suffering sooner rather than later. I tackle her hair when the cookie is gone and slowly allow the discolored water to drain. I have her sit down in the clean water with the doll. A song my mother sang to me comes to mind and I begin humming. Kiley just sits and watches me with no expression. I turn a little to the side and wipe a tear.

When I look back, her pure blue eyes are stuck on mine and I want to do all the screaming she’s incapable of. I have no idea what I’m doing, and I’ve never felt so helpless in my life.

Alex

AFTER CARLO LEAVES AND
while Celina gives Kiley a bath, I fill Moon in on the details of retrieving the child. I’m wound up and anger pulses through my veins as I pace. I’ve never considered children. They don’t belong in our world. That doesn’t mean I don’t want vengeance on the men who did this. Hell, her mother is just as responsible. I hope the bitch dies before I get my hands on her.

“We cannot change the past, my friend,” Moon says quietly.

I turn and stare at him. Hell. He’s right. My demons are wrapped up in this child. I see the images of my sister, her children, keeping them safe, and the atrocities I saw when we went after the Mexican cartel that killed Moon’s parents. It never ends and all we can do is move forward and protect as many people as we can. Money allows that. It doesn’t matter where the money comes from as long as we keep the shit from our backyard and help those who need us for protection.

I inhale and shake my head slightly. “Dax kept his word. It’s wrong of me to say this because Dax deserves his chance, but I want to wrap my fingers around Fox’s throat so bad it fucking hurts.” I flex my hands as I say it. They tingle—calling for blood.

“We will get our chance at some of the others who harmed the child. If Dax takes over, there will still be those who need elimination. These things are never easy and they never run smoothly.”

He changes the subject and gives me an update on Victor Corbin. We’ll be meeting with him downtown at a restaurant at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon.

My cell rings and it’s Miller. He was on the bike waiting closer to the house where they kept Kiley. He tells me he had no trouble with the woman he picked up. The note from Dax’s man, Skull, was simple.

Baby safe, go with this man, I’m taking care of business.

S

It was enough to get the woman on the back of the bike and to safety. Miller’s taking her to her sister in Tucson. She says the club has no clue about her sister. We’re out of Dax’s business for now unless he calls us. I disconnect the call.

Moon notices I can’t settle down. “Let’s hit the gym for an hour.”

It’s a good plan. Celina comes out of the bathroom carrying a much cleaner Kiley.

“Gabriella is making us some food. We’re going to go eat and then take a nap if that’s not a problem. We also need to dry Mary.”

“Mary?” I ask.

“I’ve named the doll. She can change it later if she wants.” The doll is wrapped in a hand towel and soaking through the material. Kiley doesn’t seem to mind and keeps a death grip on it.

I turn to Moon. “I’ll change and meet you in the gym.”

“Sounds good,” he says and gives Kiley a slight smile, which is huge for Moon, and then leaves the room.

“Your bathroom is a mess. I’ll get it cleaned up when she takes a nap,” Celina says.

“Gabriella will have someone take care of it while you’re eating. Let me change and I’ll carry her to the main kitchen.”

“That would be nice.”

She sits Kiley on the center island in my kitchen and speaks softly to her. “We’ll ask Gabriella where the dryer is and we’ll put Mary in there while we eat. Mary can lie down with us and take a nap after lunch. I don’t know about you but I’m tired.”

I head into my room and change. When I walk back out, Celina makes a small noise in her throat. I look up and see her eyes skimming my body. “Like what you see?” I ask with a smile. A slight blush tinges her cheeks. She doesn’t answer, just smiles shyly. I move in and reach for Kiley.

“I just can’t believe you pay for it,” she says, and it’s hard not to laugh aloud. I settle Kiley on my hip.

“Take a good nap so I’ll get my money’s worth tonight.”

Her blush deepens, but so does her smile.

Celina

ALEX PLACES KILEY IN
a chair at the kitchen table, which is thankfully a much smaller table than the one in the formal dining room. Kiley’s entirely too little for the chair. He gives me a one-armed pull into his body and kisses the top of my head when I glance down at Kiley. She’s watching us closely. Alex leaves and Gabriella carries over two plates of delicious smelling spaghetti and places them on the table.

“The little one should like this. I enjoy traditional food, but this is one the bebés enjoy.”

“Have there been many children here?” I ask.

“Señor Moon was once young. That was at the old hacienda. I cooked for him and Señor Gomez often came to visit. My niece too. She is grown now and attending college. It is good to have a child in my kitchen.”

Before I can ask another question, there’s an odd clicking sound behind me. I look over and see Mak’s dog walking toward us. She’s behind him.