Page 146 of Puck Princess

“He literally just texted me that they’re close.” She turns off the TV and puts a hand on my leg, stilling me. “It’s going to be okay, Callie.”

I let out a shaky sigh. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

Tears clog my throat. We haven’t actually talked about it yet.

“Jumping onto my balcony and blazing through my door with your taser.” A watery laugh bubbles out of me. It’s still way too soon to find any of this funny, but if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry.

“Don’t thank me for that. I’d do anything for you, Cal, but tasing Spencer Santos in the balls would be like a reward.” Her phone buzzes with another text, and she sighs. “You could thank me for coordinating with Lance Craven, though.Thatis a sacrifice.”

“Why do you even have his number?”

“Emergencies. Like my cousin stabbing her ex-boyfriend after he breaks into her apartment, for example. The usual.”

“Or because you guys used to be a thing?” I prod.

“Nice try. But a near-death experience isn’t going to soften me up enough to walk down that memory lane.”

“Come on, Kenny. Distract me. I need?—”

“Oh my God!”She jumps up, and I think I might’ve finally pushed Kennedy too far. I didn’t think it was possible, but I broke her patience. But she turns her phone towards me. “Spencer was arrested.”

I sit up straight. “Wait, what?”

“He’s been taken into custody for breaking and entering, assault and other pending charges.”

Hot tears burn the back of my eyes.

They got him. The police found him. They know what he did, and he’s where he belongs—locked away and unable to hurt me or my baby or anyone else ever again.

It seems too good to be true. I don’t trust it just yet. Not until I hear more.

Just then, Lance and Owen walk through the door.

Owen radiates anxiety. He’s tense, his eyes wide and searching. The moment they land on me, the floodgates open.

I collapse forward in a sob, and suddenly, Owen is there. His arms band around me and his mouth settles next to my ear, whispering things I can’t hear yet because I’m too filled with relief.

“Finally,” Kennedy snaps. “What the hell took so long? I called you an hour ago!”

“We came as fast as we could. We just had to… take care of something,” Lance says cryptically.

Owen pulls away from me, his hands never leaving my body. He outlines the shape of me, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” I nod, reaching for him, but he still holds me away, still assessing.

“Did he hurt you?”

“No.”

He doesn’t seem to trust me. His gaze scrapes over me again before his shoulders finally sag. Before he blows out a ragged breath and cradles me to his chest. “Come here.”

The first hug was for me, but this one is for Owen. He kisses my temple and smooths a large hand down my back. “It’s okay. I’m so sorry. But I’m here. And I’m never leaving your side again.”

“What could you have possibly needed to take care of that was more important than this?” Kennedy asks.

“It wasn’t a what,” Lance says. “More like a who.”

---