Page 98 of If By Chance

I push myself onto the counter when the customers leave. “Jay-Jay is leaving this evening. I wanted to give them time on their own. Although he seems excited to see Ava.”

“Mandy’s Ava?”

“Yep. Their beach house is next to Mandy’s. She tells me Ava is a little smitten by him.”

“Oh, shit. How long before Alex threatens the kid’s life?”

I laugh. “Not long now. Poor Jay-Jay. He’s a sweetheart.”

“Claire,” she warns.

I hold out my hands. “What? I get attached to everyone. Don’t start.”

“I’m surprised you’re allowed out without the special service.”

“I’m under strict orders to only come here and text him when I arrive. As if your skinny ass can fight off an attacker.”

“Text him then,” she orders.

“Ah, let him sweat.”

“Jesus, Claire,” she groans, taking her phone from her bag. “I’ll do it.”

I grab her phone. “Okay. Okay. I’ll text him. Since when do you have his number, anyway?”

She joins me on the counter. We swing our legs like children.

“Since my sister has a stalker, and he’s the only one protecting you right now.”

I roll my eyes.

I hate when they call him a stalker. He made a threat. Once. And yes, it’s scary he knows where I live, but I still think they’re blowing this out of proportion.

She sways with me. “It’s killing you, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“Giving up control.”

My grunt is enough of a reply.

I’m not giving up control. It’s much worse. I’m losing it. I don’t have a choice.

“You know it’s only for your own safety.”

There’s a glisten in her eyes, and it kills me.

Chewing my bottom lip, I finally tell her. “His father is a judge.”

Fear freezes her features. I know the sinking feeling settling in her gut. I had it the first time Jake told me.

“Then hopefully he’ll do what Papa did and disappear.”

Squeezing her hand, I hug her with one arm. “It’ll work out.”

Brushing a curl away from her face, she looks up. “Mama never did anything about Papa because he was a cop in town. The one time she tried, his buddies in the force backed him up. Then he took his rage out on her face.”

I flinch, swallowing the bile in my throat.

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