“No, I’m not, but I’m not scared anymore,” Holly said. “Now I’m pissed—I mean, really angry. How could Daddy do that to us? You moved us here, but you never left us alone in a place like that. And you’ve never put anyone before us, like he does Victoria.” She rolled her blue eyes toward the ceiling. “I wish Mack was my daddy. He came and rescued us and fed us and brought us home. And now he’s out there in the goat pens with Braden, making him feel comfortable and not afraid.”

“Your father was mad because you kids don’t like his wife.” Lily sat down on the edge of the bed beside Holly. “I’m sure that he was thinking that he’d go back to the motel by your bedtime”—she checked her watch—“which is in about an hour. He thought you’d be all repentant and ready to do what he wanted you to do tomorrow.”

“It don’t work that way,” Holly said. “When we’re scared, we call you and now Mack. Y’all don’t throw us in a garbage can like that motel like we’re trash. I felt so sorry for Braden. He was really scared.”

Lily moved over and put her arm around her daughter. “I’m so sorry that this happened.”

Holly snuggled closer to Lily. “Daddy always takes us to a fancy place with no bugs or mice, and he’s never driven off and left us all alone like he did tonight. If I have a nightmare, can I come sleep with you?”

“Of course you can.” Lily hugged her even tighter. “Right now, I’m going to take a quick bath before Braden gets back from the goat pens. But I’ll be right across the hall, and honey, nothing is going to hurt you. He’s never taking you anywhere ever again.”

Holly tucked her chin against her chest. “Promise, Mama? He’s going to be really mad.”

“I promise, and he can get glad in the same britches he got mad in.” Lily managed a weak laugh.

Lily went to the bathroom, ran another tubful of water, and eased down into it. She knew exactly how her daughter felt. Even though Adam had had a sock on his foot when he ran it up her leg and she’d been wearing skinny jeans, her leg felt violated as much as her hands had before she washed them. She scrubbed herself clean, got out, and put on a clean pair of pajama pants and a T-shirt.

Holly had gotten under the covers, and her eyes were closed. Braden stormed up the stairs, and Holly roused for a second, saw that her mother was standing right there, and went right back to sleep.

“Shhhh.” Lily put a finger over her lips. “Your sister is already asleep.”