Page 70 of Inked Craving

“I don’t want to hurt anymore.”

She held the knife up, and I screamed, but then the knife clattered to the ground, far away from Emery, and Caroline fell to her knees, crying. I ran, Lee at my side, and we practically tackled each other as we fell near Emery. He picked up my baby, pressed her to me, and I sobbed, holding my daughter close. Others were shouting then, coming up from behind, the authorities and my family. They must have heard us or saw us run. I didn’t know. But others were there.

And I couldn’t focus on them. I could only look at my baby and hold her close. She quieted, her eyes on me as Lee held me tightly to him, and I wept.

Lee was a good man, I knew it, but something was so wrong. Not with that woman, but with everything that had happened, and I couldn’t come up with the words to make things okay again.

I would never forget this, not what happened and not the feeling. And then Lee whispered that he was sorry, kissing my forehead and running his hands down Emery’s body. The paramedics came forward, and I knew I’d have to let my baby go. Yet I just sat there, wondering what the hell had just happened and when I would wake up from this nightmare.

ChapterTwenty-One

Lee

To say I blamed myself would be an understatement.

The two days after finding out it had been Caroline all along passed as slowly as a glacier moved through time. I could not understand how it could be her.

Caroline had been nice, but she had been focused on her career. Just like I was. She had worked for a security company, and while I had thought she was the administrative assistant, it turned out she had been in charge of the technology of the security systems themselves. She literally set them up for the company we had hired. She knew exactly how to get in and out without detection, and I hadn’t even known she had that power. I hadn’t known she’d had the skill.

She’d had a psychotic break after witnessing an attack, according to her superior. They had been apologetic, had given over any information they could about her, but hadn’t realized she had gone so far over the edge. I hadn’t realized that it could even be her to begin with.

Caroline had fixated on me because I had been a good part of her past, but she had never loved me. I knew that. Just like I knew I had never loved her. Paige was the only person I’d ever loved like that. And yet, I wasn’t sure she would ever be able to look at me again without seeing Emery screaming on her blanket. I knew I would never forget the image for as long as I lived. Emery had been kidnapped from her crib, and I had almost lost everything that mattered.

In the days since the kidnapping, the media had gotten wind of what had happened, but we hadn’t given a statement. There had been no photos, no press—at least not within the family. The articles had mentioned that a local baby girl had been kidnapped and found, and a family could sleep well at night. That was what the news had said, yet was that the case? Would we be sleeping well? I wasn’t sure I could ever sleep again.

“Lee?” Paige asked from the doorway, and I realized I was sitting in the living room, watching Emery sleep in her crib. We had moved the crib out of the nursery, as Paige wasn’t sure she could even use that room again. I wasn’t sure what we would do or what would happen next, but Emery was safe. After being given a full workup by her pediatrician and found to be healthy and unharmed, I’d breathed a sigh of relief. Caroline had taken good care of Emery, and yet, I wasn’t sure I would ever reconcile that fact.

“I’m just watching her sleep.”

“I keep doing it, too. She’s so young, she won’t remember any of this, but I will.”

I looked at Paige and held out my hand, wondering if she would take it. When she slid hers into mine, I let out a relieved breath and pulled her to my side. She wrapped her arm around my waist and leaned into my chest. “Your family is gone, then?” I asked, and Paige looked up at me.

“They all went home for the night. I’m sure we’ll see them tomorrow. And the day after. And at work, and every evening they can get away. I think they’re just as scared as we are at this point.”

I let out a hollow laugh. “I honestly don’t know if that’s the case.”

She looked up at me and smiled softly, her eyes filled with tears. “Caroline is gone. She’s not going to hurt this family anymore. And, honestly, knowing what she saw, what she saw that man do to that family? I understand a little.”

I blinked, shocked at her words. “What? How could you—? How could you understand any of it?”

“She saw that man do horrible things and couldn’t help them. She tried, but she couldn’t. I understand a little bit maybe why she broke the way she did. She’s not going to hurt us, and she’s not going to hurt herself anymore. Emery’s going to be safe, and if I ever want to sleep again and let that child out of my sight for even one instant in the next fifty years or so, I’m going to have to learn to breathe. And I’m going to have to learn to forgive.”

This woman. I couldn’t even fathom the heart of her. Paige Montgomery was fucking everything, and I was humbled to be in her mere presence. “I’m sorry for bringing her into our lives.”

“Stop it. Just stop it.” She went to her tiptoes and kissed me softly, and I nearly fell to my knees at her taste. “It’s not you. It was never your fault. You are such a good man that she focused on you because you were safe. That is what the therapist said. And we will continue to go to one, Lee. I know that you have your own, but I’m going to be going to one, too. And maybe we’ll bring Emery with us. I don’t know. We need to talk this out because I do not want this between us for the rest of our lives. I love you, Lee. It’s so scary about what happened. I am terrified that it could happen again. But I can’t focus on only that, or I won’t function. Yes, Emery’s probably going to be strapped to me at work for the next year or so, and I don’t care. However, you are safe. I’m safe. Emery’s safe. Now, let’s try to go to sleep.”

I just shook my head, astounded even as a small kernel of hope blossomed within me. “You’re so strong, Paige. How the hell are you even this brave?”

“I had to be brave the moment I found out I was pregnant. The moment I knew I was on my own and yet realized I wasn’t because you were there. Because my family was there. I’ve had to be brave more than once, and yet you were always at my side, making sure I didn’t have to do things alone. I’m going to be brave for you now. And we’re going to talk about this, and we’re going to figure out our next steps.” She let out a breath. “But I don’t think I can live here anymore.”

I nodded tightly, and my gut clenched. “I was thinking about that, considering Emery is currently sleeping in the living room.”

“We’re going to move the crib to the bedroom, though.”

“Of course.”

“Good. Like I said, not letting her out of my sight.”

---