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“Ronan will get pissed,” I say.

“We can just say that, because of his behavior and disrespect toward you, he will no longer be in power,” Beckett says.

“Well, while you all handle that with Jerald, I am going to go home and make dinner,” I say.

“Okay, Kitten,” Beckett says as he hugs me. “I’ll walk you out.”

As we walk out of the office, Ronan pulls up. “Not a word, Mason,” Beckett reminds him.

“Hey, why is the shop closed?” Ronan asks, gesturing across the road as he gets off his bike.

“We were doing audits,” Beckett says.

“Why was I not included?” Ronan asks defensively. “Ace was.”

“Ace was not included,” Beckett says. “This was something between Mason and me.”

“Not that it matters,” I mutter, and he grits his teeth. “I’m gonna go, Bex.”

“Okay, Kitten,” he says before gently kissing me. “Drive safe, okay?”

“I will,” I say with a smile.

“Bye, Sierra,” Mason says, hugging me next.

Beckett opens the door to his truck, and I climb in. I hate driving, but I’d hate sitting up at that police station even more. I turn on the music and start driving toward the house.

There is something special about driving alone with the music blaring, knowing I am going to a home filled with so much love. I don’t know if I ever thought it was possible to be so happy with someone. When I first got with Anthony, I was so damn lonely, and he manipulated me so easily because I was desperate for attention. He occupied so much of my time that it was overwhelming, but I was already in too deep by the time I moved in with him.

When I get home, I go in and change clothes before going to the kitchen. I plan to make chicken and dumplings, and it would be a sin to use anything but handmade biscuits, so I get the flour, lard, and milk out. I don’t know what the technical measurement of each to use is, so I just let my ancestors tell me when to stop. Works every time.

When I have the dumplings made, I set them aside and start cutting up the chicken. I hear the front door open, and I’m surprised that they are back so soon. I figured this would be on the stove for a while before they got here.

“Hey, y’all got done fast,” I call out as I cut chicken.

“Well, aren’t you just the happiest little housewife?” I hear.

My heart damn near falls out of my ass when I look up and see Anthony watching me from the doorway. I grip the knife in my hand and back away from him as every awful thing he’s ever done to me replays in my mind.

“What’s wrong, Sierra?” he says with a smile. “You haven’t missed me?”

“Get out,” I say as calmly as I can.

“I just came to say goodbye,” he says, walking closer to me. “You know… Since you left in such a hurry. I’ve got to hand it to you, baby. You sure did fool me. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Get out!” I scream, holding the knife out as he gets closer to me. I pull my phone from the pocket of my dress and hold the button down on the side so I can speak to it. “Call Beckett.”

“Calling Beckett Turner. Mobile,” it says back to me in a robotic voice.

“Hey, Kitten. Everything…”

“Anthony is here,” I say quickly. “He’s just standing here. I have a knife, but he’s here.”

“Why are you so jumpy, Sierra?” Anthony muses. “I just want to talk.”

“I have nothing to talk to you about,” I growl. “Get out.”

“Haven’t you ever wondered… why you?” he asks me. I back myself against a wall, and he continues to advance. The closer he gets, the more it starts to shut me down. I drop my phone and scream when he grabs my wrists to pin them above my head.