A little of the tension releases from my neck at hearing that so with Zack and Avery’s agreement, I leave them to it and step out to make a few calls. The four-man security team will be here any minute and going forward will stick to us like glue anytime Avery and Chloe aren’t in the house. I’ve got every available agent I employ working on tracking this fucker with strict instructions to notify me when they get the slightest lead. As much as I appreciate Calvin taking point on this, it won’t be the police or the feds that deal with him when we find him. It will be me and I’m going to make him beg for death before I’m done with him.
Ryker brings Chloe back just as Calvin finishes up and leaves. She’s all rainbow bubbles and sunshine as she flashes her skinny little cast-free arm around to show everyone. She’s so precious - they both are. They’re mine and I’ll burn the whole fucking world down to make up for my mistake and give them the life they deserve.
As soon as the security team arrives, we move out. There will be no more car accidents with us in between the two security team vehicles. I place an order for food to be delivered to the house, not wanting Avery to even think about cooking. She needs to rest and heal from what happened this morning, preferably in my bed and arms. I still have that sick feeling inside whenever I let myself remember the blankness in her eyes at the hospital. I never want to see her that way again.
She sits quietly in the back with Zack on one side and Chloe on the other as her daughter chatters about school. She nods and murmurs a response now and then but I can tell she’s not really present. The sick feeling turns even more sour as I study her. She’s thinking hard on something, planning and I think, I think Avery’s getting ready…to run.
Avery
Chloe bounces into the house full of excitement about finally being able to swim. My mind is going a mile a minute processing all that happened and what I should do next even as my body cries out to just stop and rest. The thing about being a mother is that I don’t get that luxury with an active five-year-old. So instead, I smile and nod and take her into our rooms to get her changed into her new little mermaid swimsuit and blow up the neon pink floaties to go over her arms.
The last thing I want to do right now is go swimming but she’s so excited and been waiting for so long to use the pool that I push down everything else and head to my bedroom to drag on my own suit. A knock on the door has my feet changing direction to answer it. I find Ryker in board shorts and miles of gleaming bare muscle on the other side of it. He moves straight into me as soon as the door opens and lifts my chin to brush his lips over mine.
“I got this. You need to go to bed.” He rumbles and then pulls back when Chloe runs into his legs with a shriek.
“We’re swimming, bear!”
With no effort he has her up and anchored at his hip, her pink floaties smacking him in the face as she tries to wrap her arms around his neck with a beaming smile.
“Kanga and I are swimming with you, little bear. He wants to show you how to doggy paddle in the water. Mommy’s not allowed to get her bandages wet for a few days.”
She bounces against him and yells, “Bye, Mommy!” I choke back a laugh at how that’s the second time today my daughter’s thrown me over for Ryker without the slightest bit of hesitation.
“Wait! Chloe, you listen to Ryker. Stay in the shallow end and when he says swim time is over, no tears or fighting. Ryker’s the boss, got it?”
Instead of answering me she rubs her nose against his and tries to growl, “Boss bear”, making his small smile spread into a grin that makes my heart lurch. I can see it in his eyes. He loves her. When he turns those icy blues my way, that love intensifies in them. Us, he loves us. Any thoughts I had of taking Chloe and running trickle away. I’m not going to lethimtake anything else from me.
Ryker’s brows furrow as his grin dims like he can read my mind and I get a slow nod and a rumbled, “Mine.”
I step up to them both, plant a kiss on Chloe’s cheek and then with the slightest hesitation, turn my head and lift my face up to his. I see the moment he understands. I’m offering him a kiss in front of my daughter and that is a huge sign of trust for me.
“Gonna kiss your mommy, little bear. That means you’re both mine now.”
Chloe sighs contentedly and tucks into his neck like she knows what that means causing him to rumble his happiness and then he gives me the sweetest, softest kiss that promises me the world and I give him the same promise right back. His free hand flexes on my hip and then he juts his chin toward my bedroom door.
“Bed!”
I do just that as they head to the pool. Now that it’s been a few hours, the aches and pains that I’ve been ignoring have flared to life. I swallow down two over-the-counter painkillers, not even looking at the prescription strength bottle Dr. Morgan sent home with me. I learned early on that those kinds of pills knock me for a loop and they offer a hazy film over everything that’s too tempting to escape into. Besides, pain’s an old friend of mine that I’m used to carrying with me.
I slide between the sheets and rub softly at the ache in my scalp from where he used my hair to haul and drag me. It’s always been his favorite way to handle me and more than once I thought to just shave myself bald and remove that option.
I push those thoughts aside. That will never be an option again for him. I picture the knife slicing into his wrist and the way he screamed at the bite of pain. The shock on his face that for the first time I fought back. It makes something primal unfurl in my chest. Something that wakes up and takes a look around.
The fear I saw when I slashed at him with that knife, when I roared at him…when I fought back…It feels good…amazing. I’m not the same woman I was when I crept out of that house like a scared little mouse. I know there is still a lot I need to work through, to get past - but I feel stronger, more capable and most of all I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be. These men that took us in, showed us kindness and care have changed everything and I owe them the courage to be the woman they deserve.
That makes me think about Zack. The damage done to him, how pale he was, and how guilty he felt. Something’s been off with him for the last few days and now I’m afraid it will get even worse. I throw the sheet back and get back out of bed. I know I’m not going to be able to rest until I talk to him. I need to make sure he’s alright. That we are alright.
I don’t bother getting dressed again. My sleep shorts and the soft t-shirt that I stole from Ryker cover me well enough so I just head to his room.
I’m pleased when I pass his office and see that it’s empty. He needs to be in bed resting, not hunched over a computer. When I get to his room, the door is cracked open a few inches so I peek in before knocking and spot him sitting up in his bed leaning against the headboard. The laptop and horror on his face at whatever is on the screen has my breath hitching and me pushing the door open.
“What is it? What are you doing?” I ask in concern causing him to jerk and slam the laptop closed with a guilty look my way.
“Aves? What are you doing here? You should be in bed!”
I stride across the room and crawl right up next to him, pulling the computer off his lap and setting it aside.
“What were you looking at? You looked upset.”
