“Eastern, it’s Elle. I found Avery on the street.”
Thank God his daughter wasn’t alone. “Where are you?”
“We’re on Pepper Ave. I think Avery came around the municipal building. It’s closed, so they might be in the parking lot behind the building. Do you want me to check—”
“No.” Eastern was running now. He slid into his car and Paxley dropped into the passenger seat. “I want you to take Avery away from there. Protect her. Can you do that?”
“Yes. Of course. But what about Sadie?”
“I’m only a couple minutes away. Iwillget there in time.”
He had no right to promise that, but fuck, he needed it to be true.
“Youbitch!”
Sadie ignored Jamie’s screaming. She didn’t think about the fear in her chest or the pounding of her heart…every part of her focused on keeping Jamie’s wrists in her hold and above her head, the gun as far away from her as possible. She couldn’t let go. The second she did, Jamie would shoot and she’d shoot to kill.
Sweat beaded Jamie’s forehead as she threw an elbow into Sadie’s cheek. Pain blasted through her skull, stunning her. Jamie took advantage, and in one fluid move, she spun them around and pressed her other arm to Sadie’s throat, choking her.
Sadie tried to suck in air while never taking her hands off Jamie’s wrist.
“I’m going to fucking kill you,” Jamie growled.
Sadie was growing lightheaded when the arm at her throat suddenly loosened. She took advantage, shoving the woman off her and slamming her wrist to the asphalt.
The gun fell to the ground. Sadie climbed to her hands and knees and was crawling toward it when a wave of dizziness caused her arms to give way. She sucked in a large, deep breath. When her vision cleared, she lunged for the gun—but Jamie was faster, grabbing the weapon and stumbling to her feet before taking a few swaying steps back.
Sadie’s world slowed as she pushed herself up, grabbing the car to steady herself.
“This isyourfault,” Jamie gasped. “All of it! If it wasn’t foryou, she might have taken me back.” She blinked three times and held one arm out to her side, as if trying to keep her balance.
Despite the fear knotting her belly, Sadie shook her head. She couldn’t stay silent. “No, Jamie. None of this is my fault. All I did was love your daughter, something any other mother would be grateful for. At some point, you need to accept responsibility for what you’ve done.”
“I messed up. IknowI messed up! But how was I supposed to get her back with you around? Theperfectmother figure. The woman who could do no wrong.”
There were so many things Sadie could say in response to that, but would she listen? Probably not.
“If you kill me,” Sadie tried slowly, “she’ll hate you. It will destroy any chance you might have with her in the future.”
Jamie’s eyes half rolled again, and she swayed even harder on her feet.
“You’re not well,” Sadie said quietly. “Put the gun down and we can call an ambulance.”
“I’mfine. I don’t—” She tilted drunkenly to the side.
Sadie stepped forward in case the gun dropped, but Jamie righted herself quickly, taking aim at her again.
A car suddenly swerved into the parking lot, tires squealing before it came to a stop.
Sadie’s chest tightened at the sight of Eastern. He got out of the driver’s seat, a deputy climbing out from the other side.
He pointed his weapon at Jamie. “Put the gun down, Jamie.”
A mixture of fear and anger and frustration cut across Jamie’s face. “I can’t. I need her gone.”
“You don’t,” he pushed. “Killing her will only make things worse for you. Put down the gun.”
She wobbled again, her eyes doing another of those odd rolls before she blinked half a dozen times. “I just…I’ve made so many mistakes. I got depressed and I thought leaving would help. Then when I came back…everything was different…”
