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“Hey, relax,” Kai says, squeezing my trembling hands together. “No matter what happens, we’re going to be right beside you. We won’t let anyone hurt you.”
I gaze up at him.
Warmth swirls in his soft brown eyes. A light grin blossoms on his face as he leans in to kiss me.
“Is that the house?” Jacob’s voice makes me break away and look toward the front.
The familiar two-storied structure comes closer as Jacob drives straight forward. A pang goes through me as the house sticks out as the only one with no decorations or lights on it.
“This neighborhood looks like a holiday card,” Cole says, staring out the window. “No wonder you’re a sucker for the season.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, my neighbors have always celebrated Christmas this way. There’s no place I’d rather be during the holidays than here.” A sliver of sadness wounds around my throat, choking me. “If you guys hadn’t rescued me that night, if someone else picked me up, I might’ve never gotten a chance to return to this place again.”
“Winter, hey,” Kai says, pulling me into a hug as a tear slides down my cheek. “It’s all right. You’re home now.”
“Maybe we should’ve let Winter stay back,” Cole mutters from my other side. “We could’ve handled the matter with Laura and Pete Monay on our own.”
“There’s no way I’d let you guys come here alone,” I say, hastily brushing away my tears. “This is my fight. I can’t be a coward and stay back while you guys face the rudest people you’ll ever meet.”
“Hey, isn’t that Mercer?” Kai says, squinting over Jacob’s shoulder.
Turning toward the front, I catch sight of a tall, lean man in a dark suit. He’s standing beside a luxurious black car that glints in the morning sunlight.
“Yep, that’s him,” Jacob says, slowing the car down.
“Great! He’s right on time!” Cole says, rubbing his hands together.
The car comes to a stop right outside my home.
I follow Cole and climb out of the car. Since I’ve already met Mr. Mercer before, I wave at him.
Kai trusts him, so I’ve decided to put my faith in him too.
Mr. Mercer has thoroughly investigated the properties that belonged to my parents. His advice to go to the cops also helped us. The local PD knows where I’ve been staying and has been willing to help if Laura and Pete get violent with me again.
“I think they’re both indoors,” Mr. Mercer says, glancing toward the house. “I can hear the TV from out here.”
I cringe. This is what they do when they’re hungover from drinking the night before. They usually get me to make them food and like an idiot, I always did so without complaining.
They’re family, I always told myself.
I was a fool for putting up with them for so long. Laura never thought of me as her family. She’d never sell her precious daughter or try to snatch away her precious possessions. She only dares to do those things to me because I mean nothing to her.
Steeling my spine, I walk ahead, leading the way through the fenced gate of the property. The front door is locked but I know the exact spot that hides the extra key. Bending down, I slip my hand under the worn-out rug and bring out the key.
The last time I left through these doors, I didn’t know whether I’d ever be able to come back again. Fear and loss were all that were going through my mind when I fled from Laura and Pete.
Confidence surges through me as my hand extends toward the door.
It’s all because of the men who patiently wait behind me. They’re the reason I’m no longer scared of Laura. I no longer need to suffer through my stepmother’s cruelty just because I’m afraid to be alone.
A low creak sounds as I push open the door. It’s so subtle, that I doubt Pete and Laura heard it over the sound of the blaring TV.
Stepping inside the house, I follow the familiar path that takes us into the living room. Even though my house isn’t as grand as my mates’ mansion, I still feel proud of how pretty and homely it looks.
“Is someone out there?” Laura’s voice shouts over the TV. Before any of us can reply, she stomps into the hallway.
Her dark eyes widen as they fall on me. Slowly, she raises her gaze to meet the curt stares offered by Mr. Mercer and my mates.
