But Dee simply chuckled. “You didn’t think I’d just let her walk out of our lives, did you?”
My eyes widened as Dee cleared his throat.
“Plan A is a-go. Stay safe, you two.”
Then, he hung up the phone, took out the battery, and made his way into the kitchen.
“What did you do?” Axe asked, his tone of voice demanding an answer.
Dee tossed the bits and pieces of his phone into the sink and turned on the hot water. “I did what I do best.”
“Which is?” I asked, digging a hammer out of the pantry.
I handed it to Dee, and he firmly smashed the water-soaked phone at the bottom of the sink.
“I made sure we had plans in place to get her back to us,” he said.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
And as he shattered the phone into a million little pieces, I slowly looked over at Axe, whose face held a smile I’d never once seen on him.
A smile that matched the happiness swelling in my heart.
30
BRIELLE
“Come here, honey. Why don’t you sit down?”
“Want a drink, princess? I’ve got your favorite in stock.”
“Oh! Get her some of those honey and onion mustard whatever things.”
“Pretzels?”
“Yeah, those. She loves those. Wanna sit on the couch?”
Mom guided me to the couch while Dad rummaged around in the kitchen, but I couldn’t stand it. Even as she eased me onto the worn cushions I had sat on during my youth, I wanted nothing more than to run back out the door. I wanted to rush home, crawl into my own bed, and cry myself to sleep.
I needed to grieve the loss of my men.
“Here you go,” Dad said, placing a bowl of my favorite pretzels into my lap. “Where do you want your apple juice?”
I shrugged. “Anywhere is fine, thank you.”
“All right,” Mom said and picked up the remote, “I think there’s a Golden Girls marathon playing somewhere. Wanna snuggle up with your ol’ mama dearest and watch some?”
I stared down into my bowl and couldn’t help but think about how much Mav would like the snack she’d brought me. “Yeah, sure. That sounds nice.”
“Princess?”
I leaned my head back against the couch cushions. “Yeah, Dad?”
He bent forward and kissed my forehead. “I’m so glad you’re home okay.”
I’m not.“Thanks, Dad.”
He stroked his fingers through my hair. “I’ll go get your bedroom set up. We figured you could stay here a few nights. You know, just until you get back on your feet.”
