Page 12 of August 20

Would they even live long enough to worry about what would happen tomorrow?

She returned to the swing set, knowing the only way to escape was by walking down the driveway. She'd studied the backyard from the bedroom window. From her arrival, she knew the ridge went further up on the side of the garage. As the front yard was steep going down, the mountain was steep going up. It was as if someone had carved out a flat spot and dropped a house down on the land.

What was beautiful and majestic, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, to some. It was a prison for her. Her options dwindled daily.

A loud rumble startled her. She gazed up and found Dio on his motorcycle. She stood by the swing set.

Now, she was alone with Maverick.

There was no way to overpower him. He was huge compared to her.

Besides, what if she attacked him, failed, and only made things worse? Then Skye would suffer for her stupidity.

Her only hope was that Mr. Graham would think it odd that she hadn't shown up for her first day of work and would do a welfare check at the house, considering he owned the place. He'd find her and Skye and see there was a man here.

She looked down, knowing it wasn't as easy as assuming someone would come looking for her. She and Skye were alone in the world. Nobody would ever miss them.

Everyone they were associated with back in Beaverton knew they moved away. They were unknown in Seaglass Cove.

Skye's feet hit the grass under the swing every time she pumped her legs. Each time her sneakers hit the ground, blades billowed up only to have the wind blow them away.

Brooke moved to the bottom of the slide, where the ground was bare of grass. Using the toe of her shoe, she wrote in the dirt. Help us!

Then, she stepped over the dust puddle and got behind Skye. There was no need to push the swing. Her niece had stubbornly fought against any help since she learned how to pump her legs when she was five.

Ten minutes later, Skye grew tired of the swings and headed toward the slide. Knowing her message of desperation would get ruined, Brooke pointed to underneath the front window.

"Do you want to pick flowers?" She walked away from the swing set, keeping an eye on Maverick.

"Can we?" Skye caught up with her. "Won't we get in trouble?"

She shook her head. Right now, she'd beg someone to notice picked flowers. Maybe that would alert someone to the abuse and criminal behavior happening inside the house.

"Pick them all if you want." She stopped in front of the flower bed. "We can put them in a glass in the house and brighten the room."

"I like this one." Skye picked a bright yellow flower.

Her niece looked at her, and when Brooke encouraged her to find another pretty flower, Skye picked more. And more.

They both had handfuls of flowers when Skye was ready to go inside. With her gaze on Maverick on the driveway, she let her niece inside the house.

Once the door shut, inspiration slammed into her. They were inside. Maverick was outside.

She dropped the flowers in her grasp and turned the lock on the doorknob. Hope fed her in her hurry. She dove for the couch, flipping cushions, praying her purse or phone had slipped between them and gone unnoticed by Maverick.

"Aunt Brooke?" Skye grunted. "I can't reach the glasses."

Ignoring her niece's plea, Brooke dropped to the floor on her hands and knees and looked under the sofa. Where would he hide her phone?

Fear consumed her. Maverick would discover she'd locked him out of the house any minute. She needed to find her cell and call 911.

Chapter Six

Maverick slid the key into the lock and opened the door. On the other side of the house, a door slammed shut. Brooke and Skye were nowhere in sight.

The couch cushions sat on the floor. The end table was shoved against the wall. He walked through the forgotten flowers littering the floor into the kitchen.

Taking a large glass out of the cabinet, he filled the cup with water. It was easy enough to see what Brooke was trying to do.

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