Page 10 of The Unbuttoned Ranger
If they were caught, she’d never manage to get away with Carsen again.
She’d never go back—couldn’t risk having her son in a toxic environment.
The sky opened and the rain came down hard, blurring her vision. The iron stairs wobbled and creaked, but she knew they were safe. She’d tested them repeatedly over the last two years.
With each step that took her closer to Mark and Albert’s apartment her anxiety grew.
Finally reaching the second level, she stopped to look up through the holes in the stairs. Still no sign of Dante. She couldn’t hear if he’d made it inside.
Knocking on Mark’s apartment window, she waited. Her chest rose and fell as she took each breath. Carsen was growing heavy in her arms.
She knocked harder.
She saw the bedroom light flick on.
Please, hurry!
Her heart raced. Carsen mumbled something.“Shh, baby.” She pressed her hand against his head to comfort him.
Still no sign of Dante. She wasn’t sure why that bothered her more than seeing him.
The light came on and she saw Mark. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked dazed.
She pecked on the glass softly and waved frantically.
He hurried over and opened the window.
“He’s here,” she whispered.
“Come inside.” He burst out of sleep mode.
“Take Carsen.” She handed over her son.
“No, Mommy! Where’s Tommy? I don’t have him!” Carsen rubbed his eyes.
She felt her heart slip. The plush toy that had comforted him since he was a baby had been left behind.“I’m sorry, Carsen.” She smoothed her hand over his damp curls.
“I want Tommy!”
At four, how could she explain to him that she couldn’t go back.
Seeing his alligator tears fall down his cheeks, she knew what she had to do. He’d been through more than he should have. She met Mark’s concerned gaze.“Get him inside. I’ll be back.”
“CaDee? No. This isn’t a good idea.”
“Take Carsen to the location. I’ll meet you there.” She retraced her steps up the fire escape and once she reached theopen window, she peered through the shadows, listening to any sound.
Nothing.
Tommy was on the bed, less than twenty feet from the window.
Dredging up bravery she didn’t know she had, she slipped inside, taking each step with care. The apartment was quiet. Maybe Dante had given up.
But she knew without a doubt that wasn’t true. The Dante she knew never gave up, especially when he was drunk.
Grabbing Tommy, she stuffed it inside of her shirt and took backward steps toward the window, watching any shifts in the shadows. Her eyes played tricks on her.
Her back hit the window frame. She was almost there.
