Page 77 of Alec’s Dream

“Babe.” Alec’s tone gentled. “Caleb and I are gonna take a walk and cool down. Why don’t you take the girls downstairs? McKenna and her posse will be here in a minute and I got a hold of Rob. He and Becky will be here in ten. Chasin’s already out front, so we got a guard at the door. The house is safe. You and the girls are free to move around downstairs. It’s all good.”

There was a guard at the door.

We were safe and that was because Alec had made it so. Again he was looking out for us. A little more of my restraint slipped and I allowed myself to bask in the knowledge that, true to his word, Alec wasn’t going anywhere. He was sticking by my side in this latest drama. No, that wasn’t correct—he wasn’t just staying by my side, he went far beyond.

I wanted to jump up and hug him, tell him how thankful I was for his help. I wished there wasn’t a gaggle of kids in the room so I could kiss him. Hands down, I’d had the scariest day of my life and somehow only hours later, he’d wrung a miracle and made me feel safe. And now he offered yet another boon—taking Caleb for a walk and giving my boy what he needed to calm down while I took care of my daughter and his.

Even after Jocelyn had been put in danger because of me he still trusted me with her—a gift.

“Okay, Alec.”

Something moved over Alec’s face but it was gone before I could decipher its meaning.

“Caleb?” Alec called.

Then another miracle happened. My shy, untrusting son moved across the room, and when he got to Alec he stopped, stood close. Caleb looked up and waited.

“You got the girls, babe?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. We’ll be back.”

The guys left the room and I looked at Aurora.

Seeing her sweet little face full of confusion and fear made my mother’s heart shatter. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make this right for her. But what I did know was I’d do it, and it was time for me to stop protecting a man that was toxic.

“Mommy, why does Caleb hate Daddy?”

Oh boy, the line between the truth and what my six-year-old needed to know was so blurry I was worried I wouldn’t be able to find the right balance.

“Your brother’s feelings are hurt. And sometimes when your feelings get hurt you don’t know what to do with that icky feeling so it turns into anger.”

Rory was looking at me funny and I knew I was mucking this up. Fucking Doug! I was blaming this on him too, me having to explain to my baby girl—whose only worry should be playing with her stuffed animals—why her brother hated her father.

“Remember when Grammy bought you that unicorn shirt?” I asked.

“Yeah. With the rainbow and stars.”

“Yup, that one. And you were really excited about it and you loved it so much. But Caleb told you he didn’t like it and unicorns were fake?”

“Yeah.” Rory’s face crumbled at the reminder.

That had been one of the few times her brother had made her cry.

“Caleb hurt your feelings. You were really upset with him. Do you remember what you did?”

Aurora nodded and looked a little sheepish when she answered. “I told him I hated him and he was ugly and I pushed him.”

“Right. You said something you didn’t mean because you were angry he hurt your feelings.”

“So Daddy said something mean to Caleb and now his feelings are hurt?”

“Yes, honey. Your dad did something to Caleb that has hurt his feelings. But what I need you to understand is those are his feelings and he’s allowed to have them. He’s allowed to be mad, sad, hurt. And when you feel those things it’s best you let them out and talk about them. That’s what your brother’s doing right now, he’s getting all the ugly out so it doesn’t stay inside of him and make him feel worse. And something else, baby, it’s not for you to worry about.”

“Did someone really try to kill us?”

Damn it all to hell! Tears gathered in Rory’s eyes and I absolutely had no idea how to answer that.