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Prologue
Evelyn - 18 years ago
"Momma, look!" The wind whips my pigtails around my cheeks when I look back. Flying through the air, I catch sight of Mommy running behind me. Her mouth is spread so wide in a smile. I giggle at her chasing me.
Mommy's face changes from being happy to... why is she frowning? "Eve! Watch out!" Why is Mommy yelling at me? My eyebrows furrow, and my chin quivers.
Not wanting her to see my tears, I look forward again, my feet peddling so fast now. The ground feels like it drops below me, and a squeal peels out of my lips.
It happens so fast...I'm not even sure what it was. But there's a ringing in my ears, and my knees hurt.
"Evie, honey!" Through my watery eyes, I watch Momma kneel before me. Her dark hair and comforting presence make my tears fall harder. "Where are you hurt, baby?"
"M-my knees!" A burning sensation starts on my hands now, too. "H-Hands, Mommy." My tummy swirls, making me not feel so good.
"Eve!" The voice of my friend, Noly, makes me drop my head. He saw me fall. I feel his small hands brushing away my hair while Momma checks on my knees. "Are you okay?" He sounds scared. Looking up at him from my place on the ground, I watch his curls twirl in the wind.
A giggle pops out, and I smile at him. "I-I'm okay."
"Of course you are." Mommy gives me a wide smile and says, "You're my little warrior, aren't you?" I nod and sniffle back some boogies.
"Can I give her a new name too?" Noly looks at Momma, so excited to be giving me another one.
"Of course, Bug. Evie can have all the nicknames." She pinches his cheek gently and gives him a wink.
His nose scrunches beneath his glasses. "Momma Mi told me about a bird that is so strong and can live forever..." Noly looks at me now. How would I know?
"A Pheonix?" Momma asks.
His eyes grow wide, and he gives me his biggest smile. "Yes! Evie is my little Phoenix! She is so strong and will live with me forever and ever."
Chapter 1
Ryan
The slam of the judge's hammer makes me jump right out of my skin. There was rage behind that sentencing; good for us becausefuckEvelyn's dad. A door bangs closed in the back of the courtroom, making my nerves prickle with anxiety. I don't think much of it until I hear Korren rumbling out curse words.
Looking around Nolan's pale face, I find the grumpy bastard looking flustered and clutching Eve's purse in a vice grip. He catches my eye. "Eve and Josie ran out... she wasn't looking so good."
"Shit, let's go!" Amiri stands up on my other side and ushers us out of the pew. Ignoring the obscenities I want to throw at Noah on the way out of the courtroom, I follow behind Nolan, just trying not to fucking run into the crowd.
"Where is she?" Kor's panicked voice breaks through my rage-filled thoughts. Looking ahead of us, I see the front doors of the building overflowing with press and angry community members. It would be sweet how much they are supporting our girl with their signs of her name, but right now, they are clogging up the building.
Our girl is on the other side of this wide hallway... and these supporters need to get out of the damn way. Unfortunately, our initial pause looking around cost us our easy passage to the restroom. Bodies now crowd the entire lobby and adjoining halls; women flood in to use the lady's room.
"Son of a bitch!" Korren roars, his spiral evident at not having Eve in eyesight. If I'm being honest, though, sweat has begun to bead my brow, and my heart is thundering in my chest. I'd like to say that this is fine, and our girl is with her friend. Just peeing and powdering her nose or whatever women do in the bathroom. This should be fine because her dad and kidnapper are locked away now.
So why does something feel wrong? My gut is churning, and the alarm bells in my head are going fucking ballistic.
Looking over at Nol, I catch him rubbing at his chest, his eyes darting around the room. Amiri isn't any better; eyes sparkling with tears of frustration and fear. His dark skin glistens in his own perspiration of stress.
Fuck.
"Fuck," Nolan repeats my thoughts with a wobbly whisper.
"Does anyone have eyes on her?" I have to yell over the crowd cheering Eve's name. Even if we were to yell out for her, she wouldn't be able to pick out our voices among everyone else.
"No, let's just make our way to the girl's bathroom." Amiri pushes to the front of our group and takes the lead in guiding us through the shit show that has become the courthouse.
