"You fuckingbitch, I'll kill you both for that."
Rooney crouched, readyto pounce and push the knife home, knowing she would only have one chance. She leapt,a primal scream ripped from her throat and she brought her hand down, drivingthe knife deep into his fleshy gut.
The blood streamed overher face, warm and salty. Gagging, she rolled to one side, her stomach heaving.A gurgling sound reached her ears and a cold steely vice grabbed her ankle,pulling her toward him.
"No. No more,please, no more."
***
"Rooney, honey,shush, It's okay, I've got you. Wake up, baby." Stevie clutched her to hischest, stroking her hair as he held her tight. "It was just a nightmare,baby, I promise."
"No, he has Tam,he cut her."
Stevie pushed her backto gaze into her face. "Honey, it was a nightmare, I promise." Hekissed her softly on the lips, brushing his cheek against hers. "Justrelax."
She pushed him away andthrew back the blankets. "I have to see." Rooney grabbed a dressinggown from the end of her bed, wrapped it around herself and ran to the door.Flinging it open, she ran toward her daughter’s room. At the doorway, she stoodgazing at her child sleeping peacefully, the small puppy at the end of her bed.
She collapsed on thefloor, her hands covering her mouth. The sobs escaped her fingers and Steviecrouched down beside her, holding her tight.
"What's goingon?" Cade hopped out of his room, rubbing his hand over his face.
"Nightmare. She'llbe okay. Russ told us to expect it." Stevie stood up, pulling Rooney toher feet.
Russ opened his door,looked to see what was happening and walked out of his room toward Rooney. Helifted her chin and looked into her face. "I think you should take asleeping tablet. You need the rest."
She shook her head."No. No, I'll be okay."
"I'm not askingyou, Rooney, I'm strongly advising it. Your body needs to heal as well as yourmind and been ripped from your bed with nightmares is doing you more harm thangood. At least just tonight, okay?"
He gave her the bigbrother frown and she gave in. "Okay, just this once."
"Take her back tobed and I'll go get a hot milk to go with it," Russ ordered.
He headed downstairs and Stevie walked her back to bed. Plumping up her pillows, he helpedher into bed, tucking her in. Holding her hand, he sat on the side of the bed."You know I won't let anyone hurt you. You have to trust me to look afterboth of you from now on, it's my job."
Tears welled in hereyes and she nodded. "I know, but I can still feel the blood on my face,smell it every time I close my eyes." She looked at him, afraid she wasbeing weak. "I don't want to fall apart. I need to keep it together."
"Maybe that’s theproblem. You coped with having Tam on your own, losing your mother and thenyour job. Don’t you think it's time to let someone else shoulder some of theload?"
"Yes it is,"Russ said from the doorway as he walked in with a steaming mug of milk and atablet bottle in his hand. "You need to let someone else in and not besuperwoman, Rooney. You have a family to fall back on now, and Stevie. The lastthing any of us want is you falling down in a heap." He handed her the mugand opening the bottle, shook out one tablet for her.
"Thanks." Sheplaced it in her mouth and washed it down with the hot milk.
"I'm serious,Rooney. You’ll have all kinds of problems if you don't deal with things. MaybeI should give you a referral to someone."
"Let me thinkabout it. I just need some sleep without nightmares and I'll be fine. Thanks,Russ."
"Anytime. Let meknow if you need anything else. I'll see you in the morning before I go towork." He waved and walked out, shutting the door behind him.
"Do you think Ineed to see someone?" She gazed at Stevie, reaching for his hand.
"It could be agood idea. We get the offer every time a death happens in our line of work.You'd be surprised how much it helps. Some of the guys try to bottle it up andtough it out. Funny thing is, one day it just knocks you to your knees and youdon't have any choice but to get help."
"Just hold me.That's all I want for now."
She placed her hot milkon the bedside table and shuffled down under the blankets. Stevie slid in besideher, wrapping his arms around her. Rooney closed her eyes and let the worlddrift away.
ChapterThirty-three
Russ ran downstairs andinto the kitchen, leaving his briefcase by the door. He walked over and slid amug under the coffee machine, grinning at Essie.
"What's got you sohappy this morning?"
"Essie, today isgoing to be a better day than yesterday. That's enough for me."
"I suppose itwould have to be after yesterday. Bacon and waffles for you this morning?"
"Sounds wonderful.Is Rooney awake, do you know?" He poured his coffee and took a seat at theisland counter to wait for his breakfast.
"No, still asleepaccording to Stevie. He’s outside with the little one. They took the dogs for awalk." She bustled around the kitchen, taking a warm plate from on top ofthe stove and dishing up his breakfast. Essie placed it in front of him andwiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist. "Needs all the sleepshe can get, if you ask me. A terrible business that, just terrible."
"She was very luckyStevie was able to stop Stubbs. I can't say I'm sorry to see the earth rid ofsomeone like that." Russ picked up his knife and fork, cutting the baconbefore placing it in his mouth. A sound at the back door made him look up.Stevie walked in with Tam holding his hand.
"Uncle Russ, Itold Daddy we should eat breakfast before Mummy wakes up. Then we can take herbreakfast in bed. That's a good idea, isn't it, if she doesn't feel good?"
"I think that is abrilliant idea, Tam. She has to rest up a bit so she gets better sooner."
She held out her hands,gripping a couple of flowers she had picked
