AllFreeNovel
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Kit’s defensive stance dissipates in a single breath. Stepping forward, she studies the trio. “We can help you. We have houses. Actually, we have a bunch of houses, empty and ready for a family. They’re behind a huge gate. They’re safe and he’d never find you there.”
She points at me. “But she’s my husband’s mistress! I can’t… I… it would be weird.”
“It doesn’t have to be weird. We can help you find your feet, then you can go anywhere you want.”
“Bubs?” Jimmy’s worried call has my eyes snapping shut with frustration. Now’s a really shitty time for him to gallop in on his horse. But it gets worse,wayworse, when I turn and find Bobby with him, and Bean in the carrier on Jim’s chest.
The guys stop beside us with narrowed eyes and bulging chests from their workout. They see the crying children. The red-eyed woman. They see the tension and fear. The guys stand easy, soothing, like they’re dealing with a scared deer, but it all goes to shit when Jim’s eyes stop on my face.
“Why the fuck do you have an angry red hand print on your face?”
“Jim, relax–”
Bobby takes my arm and spins me around. Half a second to study my face, then he tugs me behind his back. “Get off our property,” he seethes. He stands over the poor woman and glares. “You have three seconds. Run.”
“Stop. You don’t understand.”
Jim ignores me. “Did you hit her?”
When she doesn’t answer verbally, when her eyes wheel around in terror, but her head tips in the smallest nod, he jabs a finger toward the car. “Leave. Get in your car and leave. You have three seconds before I call the police.”
“Jim, stop!” I shove my way past Bobby to stop between Jim and Lindsi. Every time we move, like a chess board, we’re getting closer and closer to the other side. Lindsi and I are so close now, we could actually rub our boobs together.
“Lindsi, stay.” I turn to the guys. “Jim, this is Lindsi. Lindsi, these are the guys. Jim’s my husband.”
I watch her terrified eyes turn impossibly wide. She studies his face for only a moment, then her gaze drops to Bean. “Oh my God. You have a baby?” She gasps when it hits her. “You have a baby!”
“Yes, I do.Wehave a baby.”
“I hit you and you’re a brand-new mom? I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine… There’s a lot you need to know, I guess.”
“It’snotfine,” Jim fumes. “And there’s a lot weallneed to know.” He yanks me back protectively. For the briefest second, I lay my head on his chest and breathe in Bean’s sleeping baby breath.
Then with a sigh, I prepare for the explosion. “Jim, Lindsi is Ben’s wife. These are Ben’s children.”
Boom!“Then you can definitely leave! Get off my property.”
“James, stop!” I push him back and stare into his eyes. “I’m asking you to stop and relax.” If he doesn’t, I might hit him. Kit hit me. Lindsi hit me. It’s my turn to smack some people down.
I turn to Bobby. “Are the estate houses ready?”
He nods. “They’re ready. They’re just doing cosmetic shit.”
“Great, Lindsi needs the keys. She’s moving in for a bit.”
“What?” Jim roars – just as expected. “You can’t seriously expect me to allow your ex-boyfriend and his family to move in.”
“No. I’m asking you to allow Lindsi, Ben’s soon to be ex-wife, who needs a safe space to hide away from an abusive, cheating, sack of shit husband, to move in for a short while until she gets her shit straight.”
Bobby, our protector and fixer, steps forward with a softened expression. “You need a safe space?”
“No, I’m fin–”
“Yes! She left him, B. She’s running and keeping her babies safe.” We don’t allow abusive men to get away with this shit. It doesn’t matter whose wife she is; she needs help. “She ran, now she needs a home. Look in the SUV. All their shit’s packed up.”
“You’re leaving him?” Bobby clarifies. “Because you don’t get to change your mind next week and invite him along all happy families and shit.Youcan stay at the estate. He cannot.”
