Severin exhales loudly. “Aaron is at your house.”
“What?” I shout. “How do you know?”
Sava clicks his tongue and shows me the screen of his phone, and on it is the perfect view of my living room where my brother and his goons are trashing the place once again, but this time the damage seems to be a lot more extensive.
“Is that…did you install cameras at my house?” I screech and then quickly drag some much needed air into my lungs. “No, that doesn’t matter right now.”
“Pull over. I’ll get us there faster, Lychik.”
With my heart in the bottom of my stomach, I swerve to the right side and jump out of the driver’s side, allowing Severin to take the wheel as he passes me his phone so I can keep an eye on the camera.
I can’t see Dad or Betsy, though.
I knew something felt off. I knew Aaron wouldn’t leave us alone just like that. I knew it all, yet I dared to live in happy bliss without a care in a world.
I should’ve been there. I should’ve never left. Aaron’s mind is lost and Dad and Betsy are all alone. It’s my fault. Whatever happens it will be my fault!
“Stop that!” Sava snaps me out of my inner rant. “Stop blaming yourself. It’s not on you, Aurora. You can’t keep covering for your brother’s mistakes.”
I take a shaky breath, aware that he’s right but it doesn’t make it any easier to believe.
“What if this time…” I trail off, emotions clogging my throat.
“Don’t go there.” Sava places his comforting hand over my thigh and squeezes. “Don’t go there before we know what’s going on.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and nod.
“Mommy? Is Uncle Aaron back?” Emett asks tentatively.
“It looks like it, honey.”
“Don’t worry, Mom, we have Dad with us! He’ll kick uncle Aaron’s butt again!”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence, little man, and I sure as…heck will do just that,” Sava replies. “Lychik, call the cops. And Stella, for good measure.”
I take out my phone and dial 911, explaining to them what’s going on, and they tell me they’ll send out a unit to our place right away.
I never wanted it to get to this point.
Stella is still in Boston when I call her but as soon as she hears the news, she gets in the car to come home.
I feel the heart in my chest squeezing painfully with worry and anxiety. Every beat becoming so loud I can’t hear my own thoughts because no matter what, I don’t see a good outcome. The storm is here once again.
“Aurora? Breathe, Lychik. Please, take a deep breath,” Severin’s voice snaps and that’s when I realize I’m clutching my chest and hyperventilating.
“Mommy?”
“I-I…can’t…” I gasp, my mind swirling with what-ifs.
“Damn it, Aurora! Marry me!”
Every ounce of that frantic air in my lungs freezes and a large gulp works itself down.
“Wh-what?” I swallow, blinking at the man.
“Take a deep breath for me,” he says calmly, and I do just that. “There, now that’s better.”
“Did you just say that to distract me?”
