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ISLA
After a long soak in the bubble bath, and sulking with my comfort snacks and drink until the water is freezing, I decide it’s finally time to get out and face the music. Why does all this crazy shit have to keep happening to me? Was my abusive piece of shit ex-husband not enough? I don’t understand what I could have done in a past life to make me have such shitty luck in this one.
I’m lost in my head worrying about everything when I head into the kitchen ten minutes later, dressed in my soft pj bottoms and one of the guys’ tshirts. As soon as I walk into the room, I’m immediately pulled into a bear hug by my red headed viking.
“Do you feel better, Angel?” he asks, kissing my forehead.
I shrug. “Not really. Honestly, I don’t understand why bad shit keeps happening to me. I’m not a bad person, and I try to do the right thing as much as possible. I just want a chance to be happy and not have to worry about someone attacking me.” I pause, taking a shaky breath before continuing, “I feel like I’m right back with Corin, waiting for the attack I know is coming, but not sure what or when it will be.” I snuggle into his chest, still feeling so overwhelmed and emotionally raw.
“I feel like all this is our fault for not being able to protect you. I’ll understand if you want to take a step back until all of this dies down,” he mumbles into my hair.
I jump back as if he had slapped me. “ABSOLUTELY fucking not. I wouldn’t change having y’all for anything. I love all of you so much, and I am thankful you came into my life when y’all did. I just wish the bitch would fuck off and bother someone else.”
“Me too, honey, me too. Hopefully, they will get her. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He lifts my chin so I’m looking into his eyes. “And by the way, I love you too, Isla Claire. You and those kids are the best fucking thing to ever happen to us.”
He kisses me until I’m breathless. Even with the crazy psycho lady after me, I can no longer picture my life without them in it.
* * *
BODIE
After Islaand the kids go to sleep, I meet the other guys by the pool so we can figure out what to do about this situation. From the look on Odin’s face, whatever news he got wasn’t good.
“Apparently, Heather has been stalking us for years,” he says solemnly. All of our eyes widen at that. How the hell did none of us notice something like that?
“How do you know?” I finally ask, breaking the stunned silence.
“The chief was pretty shaken after my conversation with him and apparently went out to her house with a few of the other guys. They found thousands of pictures of the five of us going back to at least three years ago, plus piles of random crap of ours we thought we had lost–shirts, hats, just weird shit. She even kept journals about all the times she would sit and watch us. It’s fucking creepy. After they found all that they went ahead and issued a statewide APB.”
Orin looks between us all. “So you’re saying someone has to be with Isla anytime she leaves the house, right?”
His twin nods sadly, “Yeah, that will probably be the safest option, at least until Heather is found. Chief called the school and let them know the basics of the situation, and now she isn’t allowed on school grounds at all, which means the boys are taken care of. The house has the best security system money can buy, so there’s no need to be worried about Emma and Vivi.”
I just hope all of this is enough to keep our family safe.
* * *
Even if wehad figured out last night how we were going to protect our family, I barely got any sleep and I’m still restless enough that I’ve been up since four thirty baking a cake and cupcakes for the party. I have also had time to put together all the gift bags and blow up the balloons. At least Isla won’t have as much to do.
I’m taking the last sheet of cupcakes out the oven when the rest of the guys stagger into the kitchen around eight, Silas walking over to smell the treats. “Man, these smell great B. Looks like you’ve been busy.”
“Couldn’t sleep,” I grunt.
“Yeah, seems there was a lot of that going around,” Odin yawns.
As he opens the fridge to pass everyone a pre-made coffee drink I have ready, Callum sleepily grumbles, “Well, now that we’re all here, let’s go get the go-kart outside before Arden wakes up.” They all chug down their coffee and we head outside to get our little man’s gift covered up.
Thirty minutes later, all of the cupcakes and cakes are frosted and packaged, the go-kart is where it needs to be, and decorations are loaded in the SUV. Since it’s his birthday, I’m cooking Arden’s favorite breakfast–chocolate chip pancakes, with eggs, grits and sausage.
I’m just starting to plate everything up when our still-sleepy family comes stumbling into the kitchen. As soon as Arden is seated we sing happy birthday to him, and I even made his pancakes in the shape of a six.
After we all finish eating, Isla goes and gets a scarf to cover Arden’s eyes so we can take him to see his gift. His party isn’t scheduled until one, since we wanted to make sure all the people that go to church would be out by then.
I think I’m more excited than the kids are right now, and I never even wanted to have kids. I didn’t think I would make a good dad, not after all the trauma from my childhood. However, these three kids mean the fucking world to me. I kinda wish we could have one more.
Isla walks up to her son smiling. “Alright, baby, I’m going to cover your eyes with this scarf then lead you outside so you can see your present from me and the guys. Is that okay with you?”
He jumps up and down excitedly, clapping his hands. “Yes, yes, yes! Can we go now? I wanna see it!”
