Page 39 of Somebody's Watching Me
Annabeth didn’t argue, staying in his arms. They were hidden in the library, clinging to one another. The police had beat him here, and Rowan cursed the distance between the new condo and Haven House.
His system had failed them.
He had failed her.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’m glad you’re here.” Her voice was muffled from being squeezed so tightly. “I feel like my heart is stuck in my throat.”
Tonight, he would move over to the Firewater townhouse. Liam and his broken heart be damned. There was no way he was going to let Annabeth go so unprotected again.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly to keep herself steady. “I have to help Abe get my mom to a hospital. The EMTs say she’s fine, but I can tell they’re wrong. Something is off.”
“I’ll get her to the hospital.” It was the least he could do for Simone. The woman had fought like hell to protect her girls and her home. “You stay and talk to the police.”
“No, I want to be there, but I want you with me when we go.”
Screw the townhouse, he was staying here.
A booming crash sounded out in the hall, followed by shouting and a deep voice ordering people to get the hell of out of the way.
“Ben’s here.” Annabeth unhooked her arms and rushed to the door. “Hurry before he murders someone.”
Rowan chased after her and saw officers attempting to restrain Benjamin Fairweather from entering the house. Cop or not, it was a stupid move. The man might be getting up there in years and have a little more salt than pepper on top, but anyone idiotic enough to try and stop him would get what they deserved.
“Let him pass,” Rowan yelled as more police stepped forward. “That’s Ben Fairweather.”
Having said the magic F-word, the sea of blue parted. Ben stormed through them to Annabeth, his eyes skimming her bruised and battered face. “Dear God.”
“It looks worse than it feels,” she insisted when he hugged her. “Liam said Jamison is awake and fine.”
“Where’s your mother?”
Simone must have heard the commotion and come out to see what was happening. She made her way down the hall, clutching Liam, who kept her steady enough to walk. Samuel and Evie’s girls were with them, but seeing their Papa had the girls running over to Ben.
“Unc say he gonna kill’em good,” Theo said, twirling around Ben’s legs in her princess pajamas. “Don’t be sads, Papa.”
Simone came to stand in front of Ben, almost unrecognizable with shades of purple covering much of her face. A patterned trembling shook her frame, and as she fought to remain standing, a silent conversation passed between the two of them. An argument? An understanding? Rowan didn’t know, but whatever it was ended with Ben saying, “I understand, SiSi.”
Liam cleared his throat. “She’s informed me that under no circumstances is she going to the hospital without hearing the full details from Jamison.” He turned Simone toward the parlor. “And since I’m smart, I know not to argue.”
“I’ll take her into the parlor,” Rowan offered. Liam had been antsy to go back upstairs since he’d brought the girls down. “Annabeth and I will get her settled whi—.”
Clamoring footsteps pounded down the stairs, and Jamison rushed into the foyer and straight into her father’s open arms. “I’m okay.”
It took Ben a few seconds, the relief over being able to hold his daughter shattering him for a moment. Jamison practically disappeared in the hug, and once Annabeth was pulled into the center with her, Simone surrounded the girls from the other side.
Tears were shed, blending with words Rowan couldn’t understand from Ben. The man had experienced so much loss in his life. Hell, all these people had. It was a wonder they could get out of bed in the morning.
Liam stood to the side with him, the tiny hands of Samuel’s girls secured in his. “This needs to happen fast,” he said quietly to Rowan. “Simone is refusing to go until she hears everything.”
Rowan knew Annabeth’s mother did things her way, but delaying the trip to the hospital was not a good idea. “Is she always this stubborn?”
The girls and Liam looked at him as if he were insane. “You don’t tell GiGi what to do,” Harper whispered, appalled that he would even question it. “Ever.”
“Yous get a time out,” Theo added. “And nopes desserts.”
Well, there you go. “Thanks for the tip.”
