Page 75 of Enticing

“They’re my kids, Addie, and I’m going to see them with or without your permission” he threatens.

“Over. My. Dead. Body,” I tell him so calmly, my voice doesn’t shake, even if the rest of me is shaking like a leaf in a storm.

“That can be arranged, Adelaide...” He waits for that to set in, then goes for the late hit he always got in some way. It’s coming. I know it is. “I’ll see you and them soon, babe.”

Coraline rips the phone out of my hand as I fall to my knees, but it’s too late.

Gavin hung up.

A sob gets stuck in my throat as Cori kneels in front of me in the snow. “Call the police, Adelaide. That was a terroristic threat.”

“It was a blocked number. I can’t prove anything, and Gavin isn’t stupid enough to use his own phone. It was probably a burner.” My eyes fly to the house. “It’s locked, right? The house?”

My heart beats wildly in my chest as my mind spins.

He can’t get to them. He can’t have them.

I will never let him hurt them.

I slip in the snow, scrambling to my feet, and Coraline grabs my arm and holds me. “It’s locked. The girls are fine. If you’re not going to call the cops, what are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure...” I whisper into the night and offer up a silent prayer that we can survive whatever’s coming our way. Because Gavin is a lot of things—a liar, a cheat, and an abusive bastard. But what he’s not is a man who’s scared to follow through on his threats.

Leo

Iwalk into the dark house late that night and try to ignore the disappointment the quiet brings with it. When this house is full of laughter and talking and movies playing, with princesses singing, I know I’m home.

The flight back from Buffalo to Philly was short enough, but it was delayed due to the storm. I already resent any extra time I have to be away from Addie and the girls, and days like today are long enough without any issues.

The disappointment on Izzy’s face when I told her I couldn’t take her to Hockey Tots was enough to gut me.

“Leo...” Coraline comes down the stairs, and my stomach drops. The look on her face screams trouble.

“What’s wrong?” I growl, needing to know Addie and the girls are fine. “Coraline?—”

“Addie got a call earlier.” She looks toward the back of the house. “She’s been on the back porch since.”

I tilt my head, trying to make sure I heard her right. “It’s been snowing all night.”

She nods. “She let me wrap a blanket around her but won’t come in. I need you to get her to come inside, Leo. She won’t talk to me.”

“What the hell happened?” I growl.

“Ask her, Leo. Make her tell you everything. It’s her story to tell.”

I leave Coraline without a second glance, and she calls my name, stopping me. “Take care of our girl.”

“My girl,” I correct her without turning around.

“She’s my sister,” she argues, and right or not, that doesn’t matter to me now.

“She’s my fucking world,” I tell her and don’t look back.

It only takes a minute to find Addie on the porch swing with a big fleece blanket wrapped around her. “Adelaide... Come inside, sweetheart, and tell me what’s wrong.”

She doesn’t look at me, so I pick her up and sit with her in my lap, and my girl rests her head on my shoulder.

“You’re scaring me, Addie.”

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