Page 91 of Wife Number One

Hawk’s name sent a flush of heat through me before Queenie’s words even registered.

“Where are they?”

Queenie frowned. “He took her into town.”

“What!” I shook my head, pushing to my feet. Terror gripped me, the thought of Josiah’s sharp-nailed fingers getting a grip on my daughter too much to bear. I knew he was out there, just waiting and watching for his moment to take her from me.

Again.

Men always took her.

First her father, not long after that night in the ambulance.

Then Josiah.

Now Hawk.

“No!” I yelled, the terror bubbling up my throat because it had nowhere else to go and I couldn’t contain it a second longer. “No! She can’t go into to town. Josiah will—”

“Josiah will meet his so-called fucking God if I ever get the displeasure of seeing his ugly face,” Hawk said from the doorway. He dumped an armful of shopping bags on the floor and leaned on the doorframe, his gaze immediately latching on to mine.

I ran to him, my chest so tight it hurt. “Where is she?” Leftover panic from my dream ripped its way through my body. All I could see was Caleb’s black eyes the night he’d killed Hayden. Josiah’s evil laugh while he made plans to auction off my daughter to the highest bidder.

I dug my fingers into Hawk’s shirt and tore at the fabric. “Where is she, Hawk? Where the hell is my daughter? You can’t take her from me! Not again! Not again!”

I couldn’t breathe. I clutched at my throat, clawing at my skin, desperate for air when the room had none. “Please!” I begged him. “Please, give her back.”

Hawk stared at me in shock, his big body frozen as he took in my breakdown and the pathetic, sniveling mess I was. He reached for me, but his touch burned like fire, and I cried out, flinching away from him.

His voice remained calm. “You’re having a panic attack.”

I shook my head, my lungs screaming for air.

He pointed down his leg. “Breathe, Kara. She’s right here.”

Hayley Jade peeked out from behind his legs, her eyes huge with fright, a new purple-and-pink unicorn stuffie clutched in her arms.

My legs gave out, and I sank to my knees in relief, tears pricking at the backs of my eyes. I held my arms out for her, needing to touch her soft skin and assure myself she was really there.

She stood there frozen, her face pointed at the floor and her entire body trembling.

My heart broke into a million pieces.

She was so scared of me.

I didn’t know how to be her mother. That much was clear. What child was scared of their own parent?

Queenie frowned. “Kara…”

She read the desperate plea for help in my expression and sighed, putting her book down and standing. She moved across the room to Hayley Jade’s side and picked her up.

Hayley Jade went willingly, laying her head down on Queenie’s shoulder much like she had the night before.

Like Queenie’s arms were the only safe spot she had.

Tears spilled down my cheeks again as Queenie carried my trembling daughter from the room. Queenie glanced back at me at the last second and covered Hayley Jade’s ears. “You two need to sort your shit out.” She glared at Hawk. “I told you not to take her without Kara’s permission, but do you ever listen to anyone? No, you most certainly do not.”

I waited for Hawk to snap back at her, because I’d never heard him take a dressing down well.

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