Devotion by Harmony Raines Read Free Book Online

body. Charlie slipped into the chair next to her, and offered her his teddy bear. It was his most prized possession. “No, you keep hold of him, Charlie.”
    “No. I don’t mind. Mommy gave him to me. When I went to live with Sienna Mommy, she made me promise to keep him safe at all times. But I trust you with him.”
    Through the fog of cramped muscles, Tikki took hold of the teddy and said, “Thank you.”
    Charlie looked concerned, but he didn’t look scared to death anymore. Although when there were voices outside, he went and hid behind the seats, taking his teddy with him.
    “Don’t worry, it’s Okil,” Darl said, placing his hand on Tikki’s when she made to get up.
    “He’s here already?” she asked, and then he was beside her, scooping her up into his arms and holding her close. She buried her face in his chest, breathing in the scent of him and feeling his colours as they cascaded across his skin. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
    “What happened, Tikki? I went to your apartment. Reja was there, she said you were supposed to be home. When we went inside, it had been searched.” His eyes were fixed on her face. “What is going on? Is this because of me? Because someone knows about us and doesn’t approve?”
    She shook her head, her brain still not up to speed. “I don’t know, Okil. I honestly don’t. First there is Charlie, and his parents, and then this afternoon I had a visit from one of Elissa’s old boyfriends.”
    “What did he want?” Okil asked possessively.
    She looked up at him, wondering what to say when the whole thing sounded absurd, but she had to tell him the truth. “I think he was looking for Charlie.”
    “Who was it?” Reja asked. “Which boyfriend?”
    “Harri. You know, the one she lived with when she went away.”
    “I never trusted him,” Reja said. “Always seemed too shifty.”
    “What happened?” Okil asked.
    “He knocked at the door. And I thought it was Reja. But just as I opened it he spoke, and Charlie ran.”
    “What do you mean he ran?” Reja asked quickly, her hand over her mouth.
    “He gathered up all of his toys and went and hid in my bedroom. Right under the bed.”
    “Maybe he just doesn’t like strange men?” Okil asked, looking to where Charlie was hiding now. “Hello, Charlie.”
    Charlie shrunk back, trying to get as far away from Okil as he could. Tikki turned, her body still a mess of pain, but she held out her hand to Charlie and said, “Come on out, Charlie. You already know Reja, and Okil won’t hurt you.”
    Slowly, Charlie took her hand and slipped out to hide behind her legs instead, resting his head in her lap while he nervously eyed the people looking at him. He clutched the tattered teddy bear in his arms, and Tikki’s heart ached for him. She rested her hand on his head and stroked his hair, hating that she had to ask him about things that scared him, but they had to know what was going on.
    “Charlie, can you tell me who the man was who came to the door of my apartment? The one you ran from.” She smoothed her hand over his back, trying to comfort him when he looked up at her, his eyes full of fear. “It’s OK. Nothing can happen to you here.”
    “Bad man. He hurt Sienna Mommy.”
    “Did you see him hurt her?”
    Charlie shook his head furiously. “No.”
    “So how do you know he hurt her? Did she tell you?”
    Again he shook his head. “I heard his voice.”
    “When did you hear his voice?” Tikki asked. She had to consciously keep her hand from trembling.
    “He came to the place we were living.” Charlie screwed his face tightly into his teddy bear.
    “What happened?” Tikki asked quietly.
    “She told me to hide. We put all of my toys in a secret place under her bed. And she said not to come out.”
    “And you heard Harri’s voice?”
    Charlie nodded. “He made Sienna Mommy cry. And then he ruined her apartment.”
    “When was that, Charlie?”
    “The day before she took me to see you. She told