“I know, baby. Mommy’s here.”
“You’ll stay with me? Every second?” Emmy’s tiny, barely audible voice cut straight to her heart.
Laine’s plea to Roarke—to get Emmy out even if he couldn’t help her—came forward in her mind. She’d rather die than willingly stay behind without her child. “I promise,” she murmured.
Tears stung her eyes. “I’m going to get our shoes and my bag. One second.” She leaned to the edge of the bed and fishedbeneath the mattress. Finding the straps, she slung the tote over her shoulder and then placed the shoes on the bed. She quickly shoved her sneakers on her feet and helped Emmy do the same
Her daughter’s small hand sought hers.
“Do you have Big Bun?” Laine asked.
“Yes,” Emmy responded. Her little fingernails dug into Laine’s palm. “I don’t want to stay with Daddy.”
“I know, sweetheart. But be quiet now, okay? We need to listen for my friend. His name’s Roarke.”
Emmy was silent as they sat on the bed holding hands. No sound came from the hall. Panic shot through her core. Had she jumped the gun? What if it was just a power outage and she’d scared Emmy for nothing?
Footsteps banged overhead. Loud. Hurried.
She swallowed, and her gaze darted to the bedroom door. A thin shaft of pale light traveled beneath the wood. Fear lodged in the base of her throat. She hadn’t warned Roarke about the bedroom door being locked.
But a locked door wouldn’t keep her from escape. She was leaving tonight come hell or high water.
A shadow moved over the strip of light. Hope burst through her chest. She hadn’t heard footsteps on the stairs, but Roarke was all stealth. Her belly flipped over. Metal tinkled against the door handle.
Oh god. This was it. They were doing this.
She hustled off the bed, gathered Emmy into her arms, and moved close to the door. Her fingers itched to grab the handle, to throw herself into Roarke’s arms, but she couldn’t do anything but freeze.
The door swung open, and a flashlight hit her in the face. She winced and reached forward. “Roarke, I’m so glad you?—”
Wham!
Knuckles crashed against her mouth. The force of the blow sent Laine to the floor. Emmy’s screams shattered the air. Terror ricocheted through her senses. Pain exploded across her face as she struggled to her knees.
The flashlight had fallen to the floor, and it illuminated the room. Cameron yanked Emmy toward him and hauled her up into his arms.
“Mommy!”
“No,” Laine cried, her throat hoarse and tight.
He’d caught her. He knew she was trying to escape. That she wanted to take Emmy from him ...
Cold, paralyzing fear rushed from her head to her toes. She had to think. To act fast before it was too late. “Cameron, what on earth are you doing? We were so scared?—”
“Shut up, you whore. I knew you were sneaking around. But to have you both deceive me? To turn my daughter against me?” He turned his vicious stare on Emmy. “Shame on you!”
Emmy’s face was streaked with tears, and sobs racked her shoulders as she clung desperately to Big Bun. “D-Daddy, nooo,” she wailed.
Frantic terror pulsed through Laine. He’d kill her. She knew that without a doubt. But to put any blame on a five-year-old was insane.
She jumped to her feet. “Cameron, this has nothing to do with her. She had no idea.”
Cameron’s free hand shot forward and clamped over her mouth as he roughly shoved the back of her head into the wall. “I’ll tear your tongue from your lying mouth, and our daughter will watch,” he promised.
Laine’s gaze darted to Emmy. Her daughter’s wide eyes were filled with more horror than Laine could bear. She shuddered, willing to drop to her knees and beg just to save Emmy the trauma of witnessing such a thing.
But she couldn’t speak. Couldn’t open her mouth against his hand. She’d take her unheard pleas and her daughter’s frantic sobs to the afterlife.
