Page 38 of Echoes of Obsession
“Well, technically, businesses aren’t legally allowed to ask me about my disability or documentation on my service dog,” I explain. “They can ask if my animal is a service animal for a disability and what work or task my animal is trained for. But,honestly, it just causes so much hassle when you try to explain those things. Sometimes, it’s just easier to answer.”
“I get that, babe,” Ghost tells me. “But, you’ll have us with you when we go to the zoo. We will take care of anyone that has an issue.”
“I can fight my own battles, Ghost,” I remind him.
“No need to when you belong to the Obsidians,” King says, dropping a package onto Ghost’s desk. “Mama sent you some turkey jerky. She said if you need more, to let her know, and she’ll make it.”
“I love that woman,” Venom says. “You planning on sharing that, brother?”
Before Ghost can respond, Allie rushes into the room.
“I think Dove needs your help,” she says. “She has to use the potty but can’t get her pants off.”
“Well, that’s odd,” I say to myself as I leave the room.
I find Zoe in the bathroom, standing in front of the sink.
“Do you need help?” I ask.
“I can’t get my pants off,”she tells me.
“Are they too tight?”
She shakes her head so I reach down to help her. They probably are too tight. It might be time to get her a new wardrobe in a bigger size.
When I grip the sides of her pants and pull, she takes a sharp breath in.
“I’m sorry,” I rush to sign. “Did my nail scrape you?”
Again, she shakes her head.
Confused, I finish pulling down her pants and panties when, again, she gasps.
My heart races as the pieces of the puzzle come together.
I grab her side and gently turn her around.
My stomach drops at what I see. Her bottom is covered in bruises. Not just the occasional small bruise, either. I’m talkingbruises the size of my hand. Her bottom is so black and blue that I can’t even see her natural skin color.
My eyes cloud with tears, and I turn her back around.
“What happened?”I sign because I can’t speak around the knot in my throat.
Zoe doesn’t respond, but tears fall down her face.
“Answer me,” I manage to say.
“I fell,”she says.
She’s lying. There’s no way falling would cause the marks on her bottom.
I fall to my knees and scream in pain. My heart is broken for what I know happened to my little girl.
That bastard.
“Baby,” Ghost says from outside the room. “What’s wrong? What happened? I’m coming in.”
I don’t even try to stop the men as they barge into the bathroom. Zoe’s pants are still down to her ankles, but my only thought right now is where I can find a gun.