Page 4 of Pretend it’s Forever

I screamed, trying to scramble away, but I was too slow. The first break made my eyes roll to the back of my head as nausea swept over me.

And then he hit me a second time, and I knew I would never dance again.

Unconsciousness took me under once more, and all I could think about were my babies.

“Please don’t take my babies.”

“Sophia? Oh my God.”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

The first voice had been familiar, but I didn’t know the second.

One of my eyes was swollen, but I still could crack open the other.

My brother. Flynn was here. Horror etched on his face as he touched my cheek, but I had to warn him.

“Cale,” I rasped.

“It’s okay. The cops are on their way.”

“Babies. Girls.” Why couldn’t I talk? Why couldn’t I say what I needed to?

“Carson took care of Flynn. And he’s getting the girls. The girls are safe. You’re going to be okay,” Flynn whispered, though his voice cracked.

I didn’t know who this Carson was, and I didn’t trust him with my babies. I didn’t trust anyone.

But then Flynn was holding me, and a man with dark hair moved forward, both of my girls in his arms.

And they weren’t crying.

He had his hands underneath them and was whispering something about not looking.

And I was grateful.

My babies were safe.

But Cale would take them.

“Cale’s not going to take them. He’s tied up. And the cops are right here. Stay with me, Sophia. Stay with me.”

I tried to fight. Tried to stay awake for Hazel and Violet.

And I met the gaze of that stranger, those green eyes piercing.

“Stay awake,” the stranger ordered, and tears slid out of my single working eye.

“I’m going to go let the cops in. I’ll be right back,” Flynn said, and then he was moving, and nothing made sense.

I couldn’t breathe, could barely think.

But my girls were safe, and not crying while they sat in a stranger’s arms.

And I wasn’t sure what else there was to say.

“I’m going to kill him,” Aston snapped. “Kill him.”

“Aston, be quiet.”