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That boy cut his sentence short so fast and rushed to the front door with his sister, neither of them sparing a glance at their mama as they obeyed her sharp glare. I couldn’t help but huff with amusement as I heard the screen door slap the frame and the door squeal next.
I took to checking her arm again. No bruises. But that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be some later. “I’ll make sure Bentley doesn’t bother you again.”
“And how do you plan on doing that? By excommunicating my family to another state?”
“You don’t have to be a bitch about it, Ginny.”
Her lips tightened together and that Monroe piercing—which was definitely new, but definitely cute as hell on her—glinted in the afternoon light. Storm clouds roamed overhead accompanied by a deep rumble. More rain. Just what we needed while we were in the middle of renovating…well, just about every building on both pack lands.
I sighed while shoving my hands in my pockets. “Listen, if you don’t want help, fine. But I’m still going to talk to the alphas and make sure that asshole doesn’t harass your kids.”
Her eyes shimmered like she was about to cry. It seemed like she wanted to say something because her throat kept clenching up, but maybe that was just her trying to keep her emotions under control. She’d never been good at that.
“Fine,” she hissed. “I better not see you hanging around.”
“And why the hell would I do that?”
She grinned, the appearance of that grin suddenly making her look sinister. “You always want what you can’t have, Slater. That’s why you went after me.”
And without another word, she shimmied up the stone path, popped open the screen door, and went inside. Sass and ass, that was her style now, huh? Well, I had to guess that she was looking to play games if she was acting that way. She didn’t even seem as mad as she acted, though maybe that had changed too. Maybe a lot about her had changed that I didn’t realize.
Still, there were things that hadn’t changed—like the way my cock was begging me to lure her out to the woods so I could have a piece of what I’d had many years ago. One taste would sate my curiosity, and then I could keep it moving, keep my head down, keep chugging toward the finish line ahead.
Though I had to admit I wasn’t even sure what was waiting for me at the finish line. All I did was work construction, drink with the boys, and go home at the end of the day. There wasn’t anything else. There wasn’t anyoneelse.
But there was Virginia. There were her kids. There was a stalker maniac trying to take her down for something or other. Maybe she’d screwed him over. Maybe he was crazy. Didn’t matter to me as long as I got to do what I needed to do without anybody telling me what that was. Rebellion or not, Virginia and her kids needed to be protected.
So, I was going to plant my happy ass on the porch and watch the street for Bentley.
Chapter 4 - Virginia
Sara was supposed to be dead.
I had left her behind in Atlanta with everything else, family included. Life hadn’t been very appealing once she was in the dust, but I had to go on. I had to keep my chin up. I had to keep swimming just like I told my kids to do every single morning.
Memories wavered nearby, edging my awareness, reminding me there were things that didn’t like to stay dead once they were buried. Truth had always been one of those things, and the truth was that hearing my name in the meeting yesterday had been jarring.Sara. Such unfamiliarity lingered in those two syllables.
Sara? I hardly knew her.
The shell my skin housed had yet to receive much comfort aside from the visits I had made to Blake and Dr. Windsor. Other than those two, no one else had really minded me except for Bentley. And Bentley was just plain bad news.
I shuddered as I swept my hand over my left bicep. His grip had impressed my muscle, a bruise lingering somewhere beneath the surface that I wasn’t sure would pop up or not. Ice would help. But the ice machine seemed so far away from where I stood near the counter.
Spanish tile surrounded light tan cabinets with teal accents. Silver appliances shimmered with a misty quality from the morning light cresting through the window over the sink. Funny to think that this place had once felt like home. It had been a fortress at some point as well, providing shelter from strange rumors and prying eyes.
Another shudder forced me to bow my head toward the fridge. Had I fooled anyone by running here? It had been five years since my trek from Atlanta. Adhara and Anthony probably didn’t remember hopping on the train or stealing that van. I’d worn wigs the whole way. I’d changed our clothes. I’d hidden my tattoos.
Everything I did was for them, to protect them. If they did remember that fateful night, then they didn’t mention it, though I heard Anthony whimpering in his sleep every so often. It made me sick to think my sweet twins were still suffering in their minds.
Tears stained my face before I could stop them. I didn’t even bother wiping them away. All I could think about was my babies—and how Bentley had tried to throw us right back where we came from. Anger swelled in my upper body, rising to my face, burning the tears stinging my cheeks.
Never again, I swore.I’m never letting that happen ever again.
Small feet padded up the carpeted hallway to the kitchen. I heard it in time to flip around toward the sink, popping the faucet on to cover the hiccup that was threatening to break through. I splashed my face with cool water repeatedly, ignoring the deeply rooted sensation that I wasn’t going to be able to face my children bravely.
Nope, that wasn’t an option right now. They needed to get ready for school. They needed their mother to make them lunch.
“Mama?” Oh, Anthony’s voice was so sweet in the morning, always laced with leftover sleep. He touched my wrist. “You didn’t sleep well.”
