Chapter Fifteen
Adrianna cleaned off the stove and glanced at Malice’s ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child. Molly handed the last washed dish to Kendra. Kendra was younger than Adrianna but not by much. She may have only been here for a day, but already she was feeling in her element and able to connect with these women. These women were like her, and they had all fallen into the same stereotypical life where they sold themselves for money, and allowed men to hurt them because that was the only kind of love they knew. But what set them apart, and what made them rise above the disgust and pain that had covered each of them was that they were here trying to get their lives back on track. Some may decide they wanted to continue to sell themselves while others went the more traditional route.
“So you’re really thinking of going back to school?” Adrianna turned and glanced at Kendra. The other woman was drying the dish thoroughly, and when she opened the cabinet and placed it with the rest there was this smile on her face.
Molly excused herself to help one of the women that had fallen down the last few stairs and had hurt her ankle.
“I’m thinking about it, but I am scared to be honest,” Kendra said and turned to face Adrianna.
“That’s normal.”
“Yeah?”
Adrianna tossed the rag she had been cleaning with in the hamper with the rest of the dirty clothes. “Sure. If you weren’t scared of something new then I would wonder if it was the right thing or not.”
Kendra smiled and looked down. “Yeah, I hope you’re right.”
Kendra was still very young in the mentality stage. She was beautiful and intelligent, but Adrianna could still see why the horrible men in her life had taken advantage of her. She was delicate, like a flower just opening up to the world. They had spoken a lot today, and just in these last twenty-four hours Adrianna had realized that she was glad life had taken her here. Someone called out for Kendra, and she smiled once more at Adrianna before heading out of the kitchen. There were still a few women that kept their distance from her, but she was the “new girl”, and she supposed living the life they all had made them prone to be wary of others they didn’t know.
She moved over to the kitchen table and sat down. There were still some spaghetti sauce spots on the table from the group dinner they had just had. All Adrianna could think about as she stared at those spots was the conversation she had with Molly just today. She had known Malice had been with someone before, and knew he had a kid. She had also known that Molly had been his, and although Arianna had never been jealous, because, well, she didn’t have much in life to be jealous of, she was envious of this woman that had shared her life with such a wonderful man. On the heels of those misplaced feelings she also felt guilt and shame. Molly had been so kind, so caring, and had talked with each of the women. Kendra especially seemed close with Molly, and then when Adrianna spoke with the other women, everything just kind of opened up. Even now she remembered the warmth that had come from Molly, and how it had been like nothing Adrianna had ever felt.
“You have to do what is best for you.” She reached out and placed her hand over Adrianna’s. “The women here talk, but that is just what women do.” Molly smiled. “You care for Malice, and I can see that. He is a great guy, a wonderful father, and is loyal right down to his heart.” Molly squeezed Adrianna’s hand gently. “But don’t settle for what you are not ready for, just because he is the first man to offer you that shred of hope. Sometimes it is not, and I don’t say this to dissuade you from following what you know is right and true. Just know that only you can decide what is moving too fast or too slowly.”
Adrianna blinked, knowing that she could see how an outsider would feel that the life she had led made her feel the things she did for Malice. Although she had wanted to talk more with Molly, the woman was here to help all of the girls, and that took time. She wasn’t just there to tend to wounds, but to be that shoulder these women needed to lean on. Maybe soon she and Molly could speak more, a little more in-depth, and Adrianna could really find out about her and Malice. It wasn’t just about wanting more from him than what she had. He was her savior, this knight in shining armor that had helped her when the world was dark. But this had nothing to do with the abuse by Phillip, or the death of her brother, or her shitty home life. This was about taking a stand and deciding that now was the time for her to take something for herself.
She stood when she heard the front door open, and then her heart started to race when she heard the women greet Malice. The sound of his heavy boots hitting the floor came closer, and then there he was. He stood in the doorway looking like it had been years since he had seen her. Emotions swamped her, and adrenaline flooded her veins in sweet release. All she had to do to know this is the right thing was look in his ruggedly handsome face.