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“Good night, beautiful. I’m going to go clean up and get some rest. You too.”
“Night, Mav.” I hang up and clean myself up. I fix the bed, and then I climb back in, where I fall asleep thinking of him.
CHAPTER12
LYDIA
Kids are running around everywhere, and I look back trying to decide if this was really a good idea. This will be the first time we’ve gone on a date with the kids tagging along. We’ve gone out every Friday for the last couple of weeks. Maverick then spends all day Saturday or Sunday with us at the house, depending on his work schedule. We have settled into a pattern of phone sex, lots of kissing, and making out, but nothing more. He keeps telling me I need time.
Today we are at the local fall festival. I planned to take the kids, and Maverick said he wanted to come along. There is a corn maze and a pumpkin patch. I told the kids we could get a couple of pumpkins for the front steps of the house. I know it’s early in the season, but I don’t care. I love that we get to decorate the house the way we want.
Michelle won’t let Maverick’s hand go, and he doesn’t look like he has a problem with that. Micah is walking on the other side of her, acting like he’s the big bad tough guy, similar to Maverick. He and Maverick still do guy things without us girls when they can, even if it’s just going outside to train Kodiak.
“Can we play games before we go in the maze?” Micah asks, and I look up at Maverick, who shrugs.
“Sure, why not,” I say, and Micah leads us over to the first game he wants to play.
I dig in my purse for some money, but Maverick hands over a few bills and buys the kids each a hand full of tokens to play several games.
We move through the games with the kids growing frustrated because the games are rigged against winning. Maverick steps up to a shooting game and drops several bills before he wins a large pink teddy bear for Michelle. She’s so excited, she hugs it to her body.
I stand back and just watch him with the kids. He shows Micah how to do another game, where he wins a prize this time. I hold Michelle back for a bit so the guys can go ahead of us. This is what Micah needed so much. He needs a man to be a part of his life who wants to be there, not one who acts like he has to. Maverick does that every chance he can, and it’s another reason my heart is softening to him.
His job scares me, but I know that he’s good at it and it’s his passion. I don’t ever want to be the reason someone else doesn’t live their dreams. I don’t ever want to do to someone what Colton did to me.
Colton has once again dropped off the radar since the incident back in August. We haven’t seen or heard from him. I’m not sure if I’m happy with that or not. On one side, I’m happy because I don’t have to deal with him anymore. But I’m sad for our children because they are missing out on knowing their father.
The guys continue to move through the games, and I’m about to follow along when my arm is yanked back. I turn to see a woman with wild blond hair pulling on Michelle. She drops her teddy bear and cries out. I can’t believe this bitch is trying to take my kid in a public place like this. She is surely desperate.
“Let go of my daughter,” I yell. “Maverick,” I shout, hoping he can hear me over the chatter of the crowd.
I can’t believe Deedee is here. After the police learned it was her who helped Colton escape that day at the zoo, I’d heard she flipped out and ended up in a psych hospital for a bit. She’s crazy, still is from the look in her eye now.
She yanks again on Michelle. I don’t want to hurt my daughter, so I let go of her arm and try to talk to Deedee rationally.
“She’s mine. You have two.” Her voice is high-pitched.
“Let go of my daughter, you crazy bitch,” I demand and rush up to her as she drags Michelle into the corn maze.
Okay, rational went out the window. In slow motion, I see her raise a gun and fire. I drop and people scream around me as they scurry away. Mentally checking if anything hurts, I stand back up when I realize I’m not hit. She missed me. But now I’ve lost sight of them. I head deeper into the maze, following behind Michelle’s cries. I won’t let her take my child.
This mama bear is coming out in full protection mode.
* * *
Maverick
Lydia yells my name, and I turn to see Deedee pulling Michelle into the corn maze. “Don’t follow her, Lydia.” My voice booms and people all stop to look at me. But she doesn’t listen and follows in after her.
I’m moving toward them, hearing Micah running behind me. As soon as I reach the maze entrance, I turn and grab him in time to stop him from making a mad dash to follow his mother and sister. I need to get him safe. Colton could be around here too. This could be an attempt at getting all three of them.
“No, dude, you need to stay here. We need to make a plan before we rush in there.”
I don’t tell him to stay safe, or that he’s too young, or he shouldn’t go in there. He thinks he’s the man of the house, and I don’t want to deny him of that title. He takes protecting his sister seriously. He is constantly watching Lydia. I don’t even know if she realizes how much he does that. He’s worried he’s not strong enough to watch over them. But it’s my job to show him how to and to let him know I’ll help him. That he can count on me. So right here and now is one of those times.
He struggles to break free of my hold. “I need to go—”
A gun fires in the maze, and I grab Micah, dragging him to the ground and covering his small body. I jump up and pull my gun from my back. I look around and see security moving toward us.
