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My heart shattered.
God help me, I questioned whether it was safe to give Sia to anybody.
Looking up at me, her cornflower blues awash with tears and misery, she promised, “I’ve got her.”
I handed Sia over into Hope’s capable arms and she retreated with both girls to the couch, ignoring Melissa entirely.
I turned, the world lagging a few seconds behind, and stalked to the door.
Was I having a stroke?
I needed water. My tongue, thick and glued to the roof of my mouth, made me gag.
Spotting Melissa’s backpack, I opened the front door and dropped it on the front porch. Her coat followed. Then her boots.
I shook with the force of my fury.
Steeling myself to not move or speak as she approached.
My skin crawled, and I shuddered as I closed the door on her back.
Pressing my open palms against the solid wood of the front door, I forced the rage to retreat.
I closed my eyes and took a breath, turned the rage inward.
I trusted her.
I couldn’t even trust myself.
Hope
“It was terrible.”
Lucky slung a long arm over my shoulder and tugged me into his side.
Minty played with Brayleigh in the family room, taking her there after one look at my face.
“It was, but she’s okay,” he assured me quietly. “She’s okay. She has a mama and daddy who love her. A stepmother who loves her. Grandparents who love her. Aunts and uncles and cousins, she’s surrounded by people who love her. One encounter, one hour locked in a bedroom, is not going to scar her for life. She’ll be okay. What happened after you guys got home?”
My breath hitched as I remembered the devastation in Ares’ dark eyes. “Ares lost it.”
Lucky stiffened. “What?”
“Not like that. Not in a bad way. But it was bad. His face, Lucky. He looked so broken. Furious. Detached. Almost scared?”
“Did he yell at you?”
“Not at us. At Melissa.”
Lucky rubbed a strong hand over my spine.
“He was furious. Kept checking on Brayleigh throughout the night.”
“She went down to bed okay then?”
“No. He wanted both girls between us. I don’t think he slept at all.”
We stood quietly. I basked in Lucky’s warm familiarity. “Her face when I opened the door,” I hiccupped. “So … much…panic… “
