Page 41 of The SEALs' Single Mom Baby Surprise

Maybe no one has.

I bend to speak softly in her ear, teasing her. “Welcome to the club.”

That finally garners me a smile, and it lights me up inside.

I clean up as Sloane gets Reese ready for school. The morning breezes by, and I’m ushering them to my car in no time. When Sloane doesn’t fight me, I take it as a good sign that she’s beginning to trust me.

I hope she does. Even though it’s hard won from her. Even if it’s only to keep her physically safe. For now.

Reese needs no help getting out of my car when we arrive at her school, and she offers me a cheery wave before she jogs over to a kind-looking woman who leads her inside with the other kids.

Once we’re on the road to the base, it’s time to broach the subject I’m most curious about.

“Who’s Alistair?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch her go rigid, her hands tightly clasped in her lap. “He’s got nothing to do with this.”

“That’s not necessarily true, and it’s not the only reason I’m asking.” It’s hard to keep the rigid authority out of my voice, but I do try.

Sloane stares out her window, shoulders tense, arms folding across her chest in a defensive posture.

I wait less than thirty seconds before I prod again. “He’s your ex.”

Supplying that start doesn’t make her budge.

“Do you want me to list all the things I found and give you my picture of what happened, or do you simply want to tell me?” Well, there went trying not to press my luck.

“I don’t want to talk about him.” She’s gone cold, stuffing the softer bits of her away again, that delicate thread of trust snapping.

“Are you answering the texts he’s sending you?” I will get some sort of answer from her, even if I have to pry it out of her the old-fashioned way. By being relentless.

Sloane turns to glare at me. “No.”

Good. “Are you reading them?”

She looks back out the window again. “Only in the preview. I haven’t opened any.”

No inflections. Flat voice. Watching her shut herself away infuriates me. I just want to reach across the seat and shake her, tug her into me until she finally lets it all break. Unless she can free herself from whatever guilt or fear that’s keeping her trapped like this.

All the signs of abuse, they’re written across her every move.

“You need a new phone.” Something else that’s not news to her. That has that man’s name on it. I’m surprised it’s still working. But then again, it’s his only connection to her currently. The only way he might find her again, convince her to come back to him.

Fury seethes between my breaths.

“And a new phone number.” My hands squeeze the steering wheel, taking the brunt of my frustration easily.

“I know. I haven’t been able to afford a new one.”

“I’ll get you one today.”

Steadying my breath, my heart rate, my anger, I let Sloane stew in the silence for another minute, but we don’t have a long drive. It makes me press again too soon.

“Did he hit you?” I should win some kind of award for how gentle I sound.

She squirms in her seat, still avoiding my gaze. “No.”

“Did he hurt you?” I press a little harder.

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