Stanton allowed Ari to use the conference room to meet with the girls. Her girls. In the past, she’d always thought of herself above them. Older, law abiding, and educated. Part of that came from starting the job so young, barely looking older than a teenager herself. Later, she realized a little bravado could earn respect from these kids, but that day, they were the same. Victims. Survivors.
She hadn’t returned to work yet. It had only been two weeks since she’d escaped. Rebecca routed her emails and messages to the other workers picking up the slack, but she was starting to worry about the kids. They needed a full-time caseworker. She just wasn’t sure if she was ready to go on the streets alone. She wasn’t sure when she ever would be. Not with Nick still on the loose.
“She’s here,” Rebecca said from the door, with an encouraging smile. Ari’s hands began to sweat, terrified to see Hope. What if she hated her? Blamed her? She deserved whatever came her way. If she had only believed her months ago, this wouldn’t have happened.
All those questions stopped when the young woman stepped through the doorway. Ari crossed the room and smiled at the girl who had always given her so much grief. The girl who had carried her emotions so close and had been impossible to break. Hope was no longer this girl. But to Ari’s surprise, she flung her arms around her neck and hugged her so tight she finally had to break for air.
“Thank you for coming back,” Hope said, pushing tears off her face.
Ari choked back a bittersweet smile. “I promised.”
They were interrupted by Shanna’s mother, who had driven her daughter to the office. A cast wrapped around Shanna’s right arm, and her head still had a yellowish bruise at the temple. The rest of the bruises had faded, but she looked skinnier than ever. Ari doubted either girl got much sleep. Neither of them had the luxury of sleeping with a superhero.
Ari also gave Shanna a hug and said, “Thank you for risking everything to help us. We wouldn’t be here without you.”
The three of them cried together and Ari told them what she knew about the case. She admitted Nick was still out there and that they all needed to be careful. Shanna’s mother held her daughter close and they both looked horrified at the news.
“The good news is that the Department of Juvenile Justice has decided to release you from your commitments early. They think you’ve been through enough, although I think you both need some long-term counseling. I suspect Judge Hatcher may be able to help us with that if we ask.”
“What about you?” Hope asked. “Are you going to counseling also?”
“Of course. It’s very important,” she lied. Davis couldn’t even get her to see the GYC’s counselor. She was afraid any amount of probing might send her straight over the edge.
The girls left with more hugs, promising to keep in touch. Ari hoped they would stay out of trouble, but the odds were against them. Glory City didn’t have the best record with its youth.
“When are you going home?” Rebecca asked, once the girls left. “Or are you moving in with Davis?”
“No, I’m not moving in.”
“Because I’m okay with you moving in. Obviously he cares about you.”
“No. I just need to be there for right now, and he gets that. While I handle all this and get my room fixed. Or move. Whichever works better. Really, that’s why I’m staying there,” she said unconvincingly. The look on Rebecca’s face implied she didn’t believe it either.
***
It took a while before Ari was ready to have sex with Davis again. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jace. Every time Davis touched her, she felt guilty. Eventually, though, he taught her to focus on him, to keep her eyes on his and to let him take away the guilt.
Davis’ lips pressed against the star, his star, in the center of her chest. Ari never told him she got it for him, for his role in her life and how every second she spent with him made her feel more alive. She didn’t need to. Maybe getting the tattoo had been some kind of premonition about the two of them. He grounded her more than she ever realized was possible. The connection to Davis was part of what gave her the courage to fight her way out of that basement.
Her need for him went beyond the physical rush he gave her, the acceleration of her heart, the electricity between their skin. They were bound emotionally now and it scared the ever-loving fudge out of her.
“I know—” he said, grazing his teeth over her stars, causing her to squirm. He tightened his grip on her hip and waist to keep her still. “—that you’re planning on going back to the office, but I want you to think about working for me.”
She froze. “What?”
“Come work for me. Work with these kids. They love and respect you. Plus, you’ll feel safe.”