Page 64 of Anchor Point

Liv visibly prickled at the change in my tone. “Excuse me. I don’t like the tone you’re using on me right now.”

“Get used to it. This is my what-the-fuck tone.”

Her spine stiffened. “You don’t get a pass to use it on me because we fucked.”

Ego blow right to the gut. Diminishing all that passed between us to a simple fuck fueled my rage.

“It was more than that, and you damn well know it. I wouldn’t go feral over some random hookup. Now spill. What do you know that you haven’t told me.”

We met each other glare for glare. Finally, she tipped her chin up and, in her calm, cool business voice, she said, “I had a voice message at work from the arsonist. I turned the message over to the police chief, who had it run through their system. They believe him to be somewhere out west.”

“How does that work? How can they tell he’s out west?” I didn’t trust technology at all, and certainly not when it meant my ladies might be in trouble.

“I don’t know. I’m trusting what the investigators tell me.”

“I don’t trust anyone when it comes to your safety. And you let Rosie go off tonight?” My voice was rising the more frustrated I got.

Olivia eyed me for a minute and then stated coldly, “Only because Shae’s dad is a police officer.”

“And you didn’t think to talk to me about it? To let me in that you and our daughter are in danger?” I pushed off the counter and turned to pace the floor, gripping the back of my neck because I needed something to grasp on to in this moment. Something to help me come to terms with the fact that this asshat was now making it personal with Olivia. “How did he get your information? Why’s he making you a target?” I made another lap. “And what about Rosie?” I’d need to make sure she had a second detail watching her, and I could ask the school resource officer to be extra vigilant.

“Mac.”

Better yet, I could just take some annual leave and guard them myself, or find this motherfucker and settle the situation once and for all.

“Mac.”

But what I would not do, the thing that had me spinning in circles, gripping the back of my neck like a damn ninny, was sit back and let someone else handle the situation.

I spun again, ready to figure out exactly what the first step would be, when Olivia stepped in front of me, blocking me. I stopped before I plowed into her, and realized my chest was heaving. Her arms slid around my waist, her front pressing into mine as she met me full-on, burrowing into me.

“Mac, honey.”

It was the soft honey that did it. Had me lifting my arms to return her embrace.

“It’s okay,” she offered, like she was trying to calm a frightened animal. Because that’s exactly what I was.

I inhaled and hugged her close, my mind still spinning with fear.

“Take a moment to breathe. We are okay. It’s going to be okay.”

“But I can’t protect her if she’s not here.” I admitted the crux of the problem.

Olivia pulled back and met my gaze. “Welcome to parenting.” Her palm cupped my jaw, and she leaned up to kiss the beast. “You’re a good man. Gonna be a great dad.”

Like an ice-cold bucket of water to the face, her words stopped the panic.

“Is this what it’s like? This all-consuming fear that something bad might happen that you can’t stop?”

“Not always, but sometimes. Others, it’s the sweetest moments that you’ll ever experience. I believe you’ve already had a few of those.”

“How do I do it?”

“Do what?”

“How do I live with my heart beating outside of my body?” I choked out.

Her gentle smile of understanding helped calm me further. “You just grab it by the tail and hang on. We aren’t guaranteed another tomorrow. So we cherish each day for the gift that it is. And hope that you chew your cereal the right way so that she doesn’t turn on you.”

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