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“Sky is my sunrise. She woke me up to what I was missing in my life. You and her.” I kiss her on the neck and suck in the skin slightly.
“Let’s just stay in bed for the day.”
“Nope. Get some clothes on. We are spending the day with the kids. Dylan will be with us. Do you want to invite your sister, Minuet?”
“The fuck. You kept me up all night. I’m tired and want to stay with you until my mom calls to be rescued from Sky.” She huffs as I set her down and she moves to the bathroom.
A short time later she emerges in a pair of jeans and some band T-shirt. She grabs a pair of riding boots with barely any heel and her cut.
“I need to get River to come too, and I have to stop in my office before we go get Skyler.” Her short hair is styled and she has on eyeliner and mascara, bringing out her beautiful, light hazel eyes.
“Why do you need to get River?” I watch as she sends a text and moves out of the room. I follow her and hear the snores from several people coming from the big room. She stops at her office and puts her finger to a pad. I hear the click of the lock disengaging. She enters and I follow her inside.
“Why the fuck do we need to get up so fucking early?” I hear a male voice behind me and turn to see Reaper standing there with River.
“You don’t need to come.” I turn back and see that Scout is standing in front of a small gun safe. She pulls a gun and slips it into her back where I see the pancake holster.
“You know we are going to a function that will have hundreds of kids?”
“You know I don’t go anywhere unarmed. Just like you.” She turns back to me, quirking her eyebrow. She knows I always have a piece on me.
“Fine, let’s go. Dylan will meet us there with Ryder.”
TWELVE
SCOUT
The parade has been a lot of fun. I forgot about the crazy things people do for their floats. When the jailhouse comes by trying to pick up people who don’t have a button on, I almost get dragged away because one of the ladies dressed up like saloon girls is a friend of Monica’s. I hold my ground and shake my head. She just laughs and moves on. But I catch her watching me when she gets further down Second Avenue. I shake it off and continue to help the kids collect candy and things from people.
Thad has been attentive to Sky and myself, as well as to Ryder. But the real surprise here is Reaper, or Klay. He hikes Ryder up on his shoulders and runs up to several floats to get candy directly from the people. Thad and Dylan join in with Sky. Us girls just sit back and watch laughing.
As the last of the floats goes by us, I don’t want the day to end yet.
“Want to take the kids over to the Children’s Museum?” Thad asks as if he feels the same way. I nod and the others agree to join us after they grab some more coffee. I watch as Minuet, Klay, and River walk a block further toward the coffee shop. Dylan remains with Thad, the kids, and me.
We are playing for a few minutes in an exhibit when alarms start blaring along with lights flashing. I look around and see that Thad, Dylan, and Ryder are in the next room looking at something. Skyler is climbing on the inside rope gym. I grab her hand as soon as she hits the bottom and we are moving toward the doors with everyone else. People are crowding the front and rear exits when a woman yells out.
“Over here, you can use this side fire exit.”
I turn and can’t see anything but her back. The door is down a narrow hallway, but I clearly see the emergency exit sign. I move toward the door when I’m grabbed from behind. I struggle, and my body is shifted before I’m flying back. I look to my empty hand and don’t see Sky near me.
“Skyler,” I scream her name before my body hits a wall and I fall to the floor. Everything hurts. Pain explodes in my head, but I’m up and stumbling for the door. I turn to see a man making his escape from the building. He’s tall and dressed in leather. His head is covered with a stocking hat. I slam open the door in time to see Monica shoving Sky into the back of a car. Sky is screaming and yelling. I run for the car, but I’m too late. With tires screeching, Monica races away from the curb. I hear my name being yelled and booted feet coming toward me. My fight kicks in and I swing. Thad takes the hit and wraps around me. I break.
Everything inside me gives up. I scream and cry. “My baby. She took my baby.” I don’t hear anyone else, but I’m transferred into another set of arms and look into River’s sad eyes.
“Sorry, sis,” she says, and the crack of her hand against my cheek stops the panic. I’m calm. Deadly calm. Everything slows in my body.
I move to Thad and look up at him.
“Monica just kidnapped my daughter. You better pray you get to her before I do.” I turn and look around me, taking in everything as my cell pings in my pocket.
Keys
Kid finally got back to me. Motorcycle man had this tattoo on his wrist.
The picture that comes through fills my body with a rage I’ve never felt before. I hold the phone to River and she starts cussing. Reaper takes it and nods. It’s a picture of death with his sickle. The same tattoo that Phantom has on his right wrist.
“I knew he was here.”
