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But my words were cut off as he stepped in close to me, grabbing my hair and yanking me out of the closet by it. All I could think was that Embry was not protected and was open to her father's rage. Slapping and pulling with all my might at his hand, I managed to get free.
But that didn’t last long.
A hand came flying toward my face and as it struck, a little girl's screams practically shook the building. Falling backward, I hit the wall and fell to my ass as the crazed man came at me again. I scooted back on my butt as fast as I could to avoid another blow, and to get him away from Embry.
Maybe I could distract him.
Looking toward my baby, I pleaded with my eyes for her to listen when I gave her the signal. “Don’t do this!” I yelled.
“I warned you, but you didn’t listen. Now you’re going to be punished, just like my daughter will.” His voice was full of rage and spit flew from his lips.
I stopped moving and froze completely. I didn’t understand how someone could hurt their child. I hadn’t understood that even when I was a little girl myself. My pause brought the man into my space once again.
Is someone coming to help us?
With that thought, I missed the gun being pulled free from the back of Mr. Jenkin’s jeans and I was now looking straight at it. If something happened to me, where did that leave Embry? Running on maternal instinct, I slapped the gun as hard as I could to the side; it went flying from his hands. That earned me a backhand as he then went for his gun that had slid down the hall once more
“Run, Embry, baby! Run! Don’t be scared, just go, please listen to me!” My angel took off toward the front. What took probably seconds felt like forever as I watched her go, and I struggled to get up. My face was throbbing and I didn’t know if I would make it very far before he got to me another time.
Or worse, shot me as I ran too.
“Get back here, you little brat, you don’t get to go anywhere without me.” But my girl was gone, and she would be safe.
Scrambling to rise and take off myself, I didn’t get anywhere when my shirt was grabbed from behind and an arm was around my throat. One minute it was there, and the next, I was free. I heard a grunt and someone else hitting the ground hard.
Turning, the next thing I knew Gyth was on top of Mr. Jenkins, Kace was standing to the side, weapon drawn, and I was cocooned in a solid embrace of hard, warm, muscle.
Looking up into those sparkling green eyes, my heart beat with pure love. A whisper broke my battered lips.
“Braxton.”
It was like a war zone outside.
Police, ambulances, paramedics, parents, and kids everywhere. Word had got out about what was happening and the world outside the center had exploded with activity while inside one very special little girl and I battled to stay alive.
Embry had done exactly what I had said. She’d run straight for the front and right out the doors. While that was happening my guy and two incredibly special friends snuck in the back. Against orders, I might add. From what I had heard so far, Brax wasn’t waiting any longer to come in and get me, and where he went, Gyth and Kace followed. They reminded me of the three musketeers.
And thank God for them.
Once they got me outside and Mr. Jenkins into police custody, I was taken to the back of an ambulance waiting to go to the hospital. Although Embry’s foster parents had shown up, once the little one saw me come out, she hadn’t left my side. Her foster mother was aware of what was going on, even if my little one didn’t yet, so she didn’t seem to mind giving us the time before I would be taken away to get checked out.
Braxton also hadn’t left me alone. I had been sitting with Embry on one side of me and Braxton on the other when the social worker showed up at the back of the doors. “I’m glad you're all okay,” she said. “Hopefully soon, you can put all this behind you and the three of you will be happy together. I will give you a call tomorrow to arrange the rest of what we need to.” Then she walked off.
With everything that had just happened she probably didn’t even realize I hadn’t talked to Braxton yet and forgot about Embry not knowing. Braxton looked at me with questioning eyes.
“That’s what I had to tell you earlier. It’s all set, she’s ours. Now more than ever, after today,” I told him. Then I looked down at my daughter. I was claiming her, she had always been mine somehow since the day she came to my place.
“How would you like to come live with Braxton and me?” I asked her.
Excitement danced in her eyes just as big and bright as the moon. “For reals, you mean it? I can stay with you? Will it be forever? Like a family?” She rattled off questions full of happiness.
I looked over at Braxton and let him take this one. “You bet, the answer is yes to all those things, Doodlebug. But only if that’s what you want.”
More tears, but I think these were happy ones, broke free from her eyes. “I want to, please,” she said quietly now, so full of emotion. I wrapped my arms around her and carefully pulled her into my side just as Braxton leaned over and hugged us both.
Our moment was cut short when the paramedic came to let us know we had to get going. Embry’s foster mom came and got her, much to the little girl's dismay, but I ensured her it wouldn’t be long and she would be coming to live with us.
Just as we took off, Brax looked at me and asked, “Earlier, you said there were a couple of things you needed to talk to me about. I just learned of one, what else did you need to tell me?”
