Inferno - Chelle Bliss by Chelle Bliss

If it’s not, I’m going to kick my uncle’s ass for lying to me. The last thing I want is for him to deliver news that will crush the spirit out of Opal. She’s been slowly building herself back up, and knowing that Jeff will never be a problem again has helped, but she’s felt a sense of guilt too, which I’ll never fully understand.

“Uncle James wouldn’t call us here without giving me some sort of warning if it was bad.”

She turns her head toward me, her face paler than normal. “Are you sure?”

I nod. “I’ve known him my entire life. He’s a good one.”

Opal nods and takes a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

I open the door and wait for her to go in first, following right behind her.

Aunt Angel’s at the desk and rises to her feet as soon as we walk into the waiting room. “It’s so good to see you two. Give me a hug,” she says, outstretching her arms toward Opal and not me. “You’re looking better. How are you feeling?”

Opal leans into the embrace and closes her eyes. “Better than I felt yesterday.”

Aunt Angel pulls back, holding Opal by the shoulders to get a better look at her bruises. “Every day is a little easier.”

“I’m having nightmares, though,” Opal admits freely.

“You will for a while. I know I did when it happened to me.”

Opal’s eyes widen. “What happened to you?”

“I was kidnapped,” Aunt Angel says so casually that if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was talking about the weather. “It was a long time ago, but the visions of what happened and the fear stayed with me for months.”

“You were kidnapped?” Opal asks in disbelief.

Aunt Angel nods. “Yep. So was Izzy.”

“No shit,” Opal mutters, echoing my sentiment.

I thought I knew everything about my relatives, but clearly, there are large gaps in the information that has been left in the past.

“Suzy had a moment too where someone took her, but it was quick, though still traumatic as hell.”

“What the hell happened in your generation?” I ask, wondering what shenanigans my aunts had been up to in order to get their asses taken.

Aunt Angel turns her eyes toward me. “Sweetie, if I remember right, your generation had their turn too. Gigi and Tamara are memorable off the top of my head.”

I nod. “Damn.”

We’re like magnets for trouble.

“But it all worked out in the end,” Aunt Angel adds. “Just like it did for Opal.”

“Do you think about it a lot now?” Opal asks her.

Aunt Angel shakes her head. “I went to therapy, and the memory of that day faded over time. It’ll fade for you. And there will come a time you will realize you haven’t thought about it and it’ll dawn on you, and you’ll be shocked. But it’ll happen. Life will go back to a new normal. It’ll always be there. It’ll be part of you, but it’ll no longer be so in your face.”

Opal touches Angel’s arm. “That’s good to know. Thank you.”

I don’t want Opal to relieve the trauma of being taken by Jeff over and over again for the rest of her life.

“You’re here,” Uncle James says as he stalks down the long hallway between his office and the waiting room. “I’m glad you made it.”

I give him a chin lift. “Of course.”

He ticks his head toward his office. “Thomas is waiting for us.”

“Both of you?” Opal says, her face suddenly pale again.

“We handle all family business together.”

Angel smiles at Opal. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”

Opal nods and drops her hand from my aunt’s arm. “I’m ready,” she announces.

“Good girl,” Aunt Angel whispers.

Opal slides her hand into my palm. “Stay with me.”

I stare into her blue eyes. “I am never leaving your side, baby.”

She smiles at me with her head slightly tilted down. She takes another deep breath and holds it for a few seconds before blowing it out. “Okay. Let’s do this,” she announces and walks toward James.

I follow behind, letting them lead the way. We pass by a half dozen closed doors. The office is quieter than usual, but it’s later in the day. Everyone’s either out on assignment or already clocked out, from my knowledge of how ALFA works.

“Bear here?” I ask Uncle James.

“He headed home after he finished his case a couple of hours ago.”

“Cool,” I mutter, but I’m a little sad not to run into him today. He always adds a sense of humor to any situation, even when it’s uncalled-for and unnecessary.

Uncle Thomas is on his feet to give Opal a hug as soon as she walks in the room. “You okay, kid?”

Opal smiles as she wraps her arms around his body. “I’m great. How can I not be with such an amazing support system around me?”

I do have a kick-ass family. I was so damn lucky the day I was born to be dropped into an amazing group of people. I can’t imagine what my life would’ve been like if I hadn’t been.

“This is what families do for one another,” he tells her, making it clear that not only do I think of Opal as one of us, so does everyone else.