It’s only ever happened with Severin. He makes me simply live. He makes me feel safe enough to live and not just survive.
But my happy bubble is broken when we enter my hometown and can see the flashing lights all the way down the road.
“Dear God,” I whisper, my eyes wide and terrified as I spot at least five police cars, a fire truck, and an ambulance. My car is smashed to pieces on its side, the interior ripped apart. I also spot stuff from the house all over the muddy ground.
My clothes and makeup. Emett’s toys and other things. It’s all over the place.
“Whoa,” Emett gasps from the back.
“Hey.” Sava tugs on my hand he’s holding, and I turn to face him. “We’re in this together. No matter what, okay?”
The only thing I can do is nod.
Severin parks and we see an officer approaching us right away.
“Emett, honey, please stay inside the car while we go see what’s going on, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy.”
“Aurora?” Officer Moss comes up to us, his eyes flashing to Sava for a beat. We went to school together.
“Charlie? What’s going on? What happened? Are my dad and Betsy all right?”
“Let’s go somewhere private to talk—” Before he can finish that thought, Sava let’s out a low growl and I set my hand on his chest as Charlie’s eyes still track us.
“Charlie, this is Severin, my fiancé. Just tell us what the heck is going on.”
He nods after a beat. “Aaron and a couple of his friends were arrested.” I look over his shoulder where my brother is locked in a car, his dark gaze penetrating me with his signature hatred.“Thank God you called this in when you did, because the house is doused with gasoline. You should’ve told me it’s gotten this bad.”
“He was going to burn it?” My voice shakes from shock and I feel Sava’s hand steadying me from the back. How much hatred can you have to do something like that?
“Yeah. It looks like it. We’ll need you to go in and do a walkthrough. Their car was stashed with a whole bunch of stuff. From clothes to medals, and they even got some furniture out already. They didn’t expect us to show up when we did.”
“I don’t care about that. Where is Betsy and Dad?”
Charlie shifts on his feet as my spine straightens.
“Betsy was taken to the hospital just minutes ago. She was stable but not in the best condition. It looks like she tried to stand between Aaron and your dad for as long as she could.”
“Oh God.” My palm flies over my mouth as I feel my knees start to give up. Severin’s there with his arm right away. “Dad? Is he…is he alive?”
“Seth is…”
Just then, two emergency workers appear with a stretcher and my father on it. He’s alive!
“Daddy!” I scream, and run, tearing away from Sava.
“Daddy!” I rush to the stretcher, and I can feel unfamiliar arms around me, trying to pull me back, telling me I have to stay back but I need to get to my father. I need to see him. To make sure he’s fine.
This is my dad.
“Let me go!”
“Miss, you need to stay back—”
A loud, threatening growl sounds from behind. “Take your hands off her.”
A second later I’m running again.
