Page 153 of The Re-Proposal

“What do you mean your way?”

He remains tight-lipped.

I frown. “Cody, where is Hatchen right now?”

He turns away.

I follow him. “Does Doberman have him?”

“Look. Maggie’s here!” Laura announces.

The sound of a car rolling to a stop and two car doors slamming erupts behind me. The urge to turn around and join the others, leaving the unpleasant discussion of Hatchen in the rear-view mirror is strong. But my conscience won’t let me drop it.

I grab his hand. “Cody, that’s not how I do things. I refuse to accept anyone in my life who takes the law into their own hands.”

“He hurt you.”

“And you hurt him back.” I trace my thumb over his skinned knuckles. “But if you take it any further, then you’re no different from him.”

Behind me, I hear Laura and Ms. Phoebe screaming along with Maggie.

“Let’s finish this later. You’re missing the celebration.” Cody juts his chin tightly behind me.

“This is more important.” Urgency flows from my eyes and coats my words. “Whatever your guys are doing, call it off.”

He gives me a challenging stare.

I give it right back.

Cody scowls as he lifts the phone to his ear. “Doberman, abort mission.”

“Why?” I hear the crackle of Doberman’s deep voice. “We were just getting ready to beat the crap out of him.”

My eyes widen.

Cody glances away from me. His voice is sharp enough to cut. “I said abort.”

“What do you want me to do? Take him back home? This isn’t a taxi service,” Doberman mutters.

“Clarissa?” Ms. Phoebe calls my name.

Cody shuts the phone off. “It’s done.”

“Thank you,” I mouth. And then I spin around, a big grin on my face. Hopefully, my expression doesn’t scream ‘I cut short a totally illegal kidnapping and potential torture session’. “Maggie, hi.”

Before I can get another word out, Maggie flings herself into my arms. She’s still holding her young daughter and the baby gets crushed between us. Moisture dots my shirt and I realize it’s from Maggie’s tears.

“Thank you, Clarissa. Thank you so much. I was shocked when I heard I could go pick up Sara without a problem. But this? I never expected this. The house looks amazing. This is better than my wildest dreams.”

“I didn’t do it alone.” I ease back and gesture to Cody.

“Mr. Bolton,” Maggie says shyly. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything. We hope you and Sara,” he gives the child a sweet grin that would fool anyone into believing he wasn’t just plotting to kidnap and do who knows what else to her daddy, “have a long and fruitful life here.”

Maggie’s eyes swell with tears and she starts bawling again.

I start crying too when I see how much this means to her.

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