The Good Daughter

Chapter 8

James watched as Bianca helped Danny to bed, "Let me get you some Tylenol." She glared at James as she walked past him.

James sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, "You okay?"

Danny nodded, "Yeah.. but why did you do it?"

"Bianca didn't tell me where she was. It's my job to protect her. I thought you were someone else."

Bianca paused in the doorway as Danny asked, "Why didn't she tell you?"

James turned to her, "I don't know. If she had told me, none of this would have happened."

She pursed her lips and shoved the bottle into his hand, "Goodnight Danny."

Danny smiled as he leaned forward to see her leave, "Goodnight."

James squeezed his hand, "I'm really sorry. You know I would never intentionally hurt you?"

Danny smirked and nodded, "I know."

"How long has she been coming here to see you?"

Danny closed one eye, "Um., Three weeks now.

James calculated in his head, that was right after she met him, "I'm glad she visits you."

"Yeah... I'm not as lonely anymore. Neither is she."

James swallowed a lump in his throat and pressed a fake smile, "What? Bianca lonely?"

"Yeah, she takes care of her Pop a lot, that's why we do this on Friday when he is asleep."

"Oh, so this is your date night?" , James chuckled,

"No! Gross! Bianca is my friend."

James threw back his head and laughed, "Okay, get some sleep."

As James made his way to his car, he spotted Bianca sitting at the bus stop. She looked distraught as she looked at the time on her phone, "Shit! I missed it. The other one won't be by for another hour and it's already 11 o'clock at night."

She wanted to cry from fear, but fear turned to dread when James stepped in front of her, "Lets go home."

Bianca looked around at her dark surroundings, "Straight home?"

He kneeled down in front of her, "Sure."

She leaned against the cold window of the car door in a daze, her eyes started to frantically search the unknown area he had taken her to, "Is this a different way home?"

"My home."

Bianca started to Hyperventilate, "You lied.. You said home!"

"Calm down! Alright! I just wanted to hang out."

She continued to panic, "Why did you trick me..? Oh God.. I can't breathe.."

James tried to hold her hand as he drove but she slapped it away, "Bianca! Calm down!"

"No! No! I hoped you would be different!"
His brow wrinkled as he tried to figure out what she meant. She continued to hyperventilate until her eyes eased closed from passing out. She was thrown back to her childhood.

All she could hear was Roses voice saying, "I promise, I won't hurt you like last time."

Bianca gasped as she lurched up in a unfamiliar bed. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, "Hello?! Her bare feet patted on the massive apartment floor. When she reached the living room, she froze when she spotted James on the sofa asleep, "James?"

His eyes eased open as he smiled, "Hi."

"Where am I?"

He sat up and stretched, "My apartment."

She stepped back, "Why did you bring me here?"

"I just wanted to talk with no interruptions."

She took another step back as he eased from the couch, "You tricked me.."

He held up is hand as he eased to her, "I didn't think it was that big of a deal, I promise I just want to talk."

She had tears easing out of her eyes, "Stay away from me.. Stay away!"

She bolted for the door but was pinned to the ground by his muscled body, "What is wrong with you?"

"Don't! Don't hurt me! Please!"

James eased off of her shaking form and watched her sob. She had turned to  her side in the fetal position and held her legs as she cried. "Bianca.. What can I do? I'm sorry I didn't tell the whole truth. Let me take you home. I swear on Danny's life, straight home."

Her sobbing eased as she thought, "What choice do I have?"

He gently helped her from the floor and hugged her, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Bianca pressed her eyes as she rubbed them on his collar shirt, "I wanna go home."

He lightly leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "Okay."

When they arrived James blocked her path, "Why didn't you tell me you was spending time with Danny?"

She looked down and fumbled with her fingers, "I didn't want Rose to know.."

He stepped closer with a stern voice, "Why?!"

Her lip quivered, "I didn't want her to hurt him."

"Is she the cause of your loneliness?"

She turned her tear soaked face to him, "Oh please, don't say anything.."

He calmly stroked her cheek, "I won't. I promise."

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