*Take my daughter from me again and I'll drag you back by your hair.*
*No one hides from me. You know that. I know you left town.*
The last one came in thirty minutes ago: *Tick tock, Amelia. I'm getting closer.*
Ice forms in my veins as I read, but my face gives away nothing. Years of training—military, police, and club—have taught me to mask my reactions. But inside, something dark and violent stirs to life.
"Jenny," I say, handing the phone back to Amelia. "Can I talk to you? Privately."
My sister exchanges a look with Amelia, then nods. "I'll be right back," she promises.
I lead her to King's office, closing the door behind us. The moment we're alone, the words tumble out before I can stop them.
"What were you thinking, bringing them here? You have no idea what's going on right now."
Jenny's eyes flash with the same temper I remember from childhood. "What's going on is that my friend is being hunted by her psychotic ex-husband who happens to be a cop with friends in every department within a hundred miles. What's going on is that little Anna hasn't slept through the night in months because she's terrified her daddy is going to hurt her mommy again."
"Jenny—"
"Where else was I supposed to take them?" she continues, voice rising. "We're from Riverbrook, not here. No one knows us in Blackwater Falls. That's why we came. That and..." She pauses,swallowing hard. "And because I thought my brother might actually give a damn."
"Jenny..."
"I know we haven't talked in years," she continues, voice softening slightly. "And that's on both of us. But Amelia and I work at the same daycare center. I've watched her come in with injuries she tries to hide, watched her jump at every loud noise. And Anna..." Her voice breaks a little. "That little girl flinches when a man raises his voice. She hides under her desk when she hears sirens."
The image sends a fresh wave of rage through me. Children shouldn't live in fear. Not of sirens, not of raised voices, and certainly not of their own fathers.
"He's going to kill her, Marcus," Jenny says quietly. "If not today, then eventually. And Anna will either watch it happen or grow up thinking that's what love looks like."
I close my eyes briefly, fighting against the memories her words evoke. Our own father never hit our mother. He saved the physical discipline for me, but the emotional control, the constant criticism, the way he'd check her phone and monitor her every move... it was its own kind of violence.
When I open my eyes, I see tears in Jenny's. Not falling. She's too stubborn for that, but pooled and threatening.
"I'm sorry," she whispers. "For showing up like this. For bringing trouble to your door. But I didn't know where else to go."
And just like that, the wall I've built between us crumbles. This is my little sister, the one I promised to protect, the one I left behind with our father when I enlisted. The guilt of that decision has haunted me for years.
Before I can think about it, I pull her into a hug. She stiffens for a moment, then melts against me, her arms wrapping around my waist. She feels smaller than I remember, more fragile, though I know she's anything but.
"I should have been there for you," I murmur into her hair. "After I left."
She pulls back enough to look up at me, wiping at her eyes. "And I should have called more. Visited more. But Dad..."
"I know." Our father's control extended beyond his presence. Even after his death, his influence lingered like a ghost.
"Are you going to help them?" she asks.
I sigh, running a hand over my face. "It's complicated, Jenny. This guy's a cop. That means he has resources, connections."
"So do you." She gestures around us. "You have a whole brotherhood of scary-looking men with guns. And I know enough about motorcycle clubs to understand that the police don't exactly intimidate you."
Despite everything, a laugh escapes me. "When did my baby sister get so perceptive about bikers?"
"I've watched enough Sons of Anarchy to get the gist," she says with a small smile, which fades quickly as reality reasserts itself.
"This isn't just about hiding them, is it?" I ask. "You want this guy gone."
Jenny meets my gaze steadily. "I want Anna to grow up without looking over her shoulder. I want Amelia to sleep through the night without waking up screaming. Whatever that takes."
