side, one hand cradling her other wrist.
“Where is she?” His bellowed demand woke the children sleeping up the hallway from where Myrt stood, and as the first tiny cry lifted to the heavens, his gaze turned upwards and landed on her. “Girl, get down here, now.”
Her feet had grown roots, tangling with the carpet on the floor, holding her in place. Everything else faded away except him and his reddened face, cheeks mottled purple with rage. His top lip lifted in a sneer, exposing his long, yellowed teeth. His lips moved, and she read the words, not able to hear anything over the fast beat of her heart echoing in her head. “I said get down here now. You’re gonna regret this, girl.”
He jerked backwards, whirling around, and time sped up again, sounds rushing to her ears in a wave.
Bane had a hand wrapped tightly around Sallabrook’s arm and was dragging him towards the door. Sallabrook futilely tried to fight him, but the younger, stronger man never flinched at the weak blows aimed his direction. Then they were outside, the screen door tapping gently into place.
“Vanna, are you okay?” Sharon called, as she firmly moved Myrt to the side and descended the stairs, Josh in her arms and Kitten trailing behind. A hand slipped into Myrt’s, and she looked down to see Cade at her side, staring up at her. The little girl rubbed Myrt’s knuckles against her own cheek, then tugged her hand, leading her down the stairs one tread at a time.
Vanna was seated in the kitchen by the time they made it downstairs, a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel and placed on her wrist. She had Josh in her lap, Kitten standing at her side. Myrt saw the top of Sharon’s head dart past the window outside and understood she’d gone out the back door and was headed around to the front where Sallabrook continued to shout.
“I’m so sorry.” Myrt let Cade’s unwavering grip lead her to a chair near Vanna and maneuver her around to sit.
Vanna looked up, her gaze filled with compassion as she cradled Josh to her body, his cheek nestled against her bosom. “Oh, honey. His problem isn’t yours. Not as long as I’m around.” She shook her wrist free of the makeshift ice bag and flexed her fingers, pulling them into a tight fist with a fierce smile stretching her lips. “You’re my family and this is your house. He’s got no call to come barging in like that.”
The front screen door opened and closed, and the inside door latched into place with a force that was just this side of a slam. Myrt twisted in sudden fear that somehow Sallabrook had overwhelmed Bane and Sharon and was now in the house to complete whatever mission he’d imagined for himself. Instead, she saw Sharon’s head thrown back in laughter and Bane grinning widely, a pleased expression on his face. His gaze settled on Myrt and he sobered, coming straight to her while Sharon made her way to Vanna.
“You okay?” His hand replaced Cade’s, the little girl giving Myrt’s arm a soft pat as she moved away. Bane crouched in front of her, chin lifted slightly as he looked up into her face. “He didn’t scare you, did he?”
“Why is he here?” She hadn’t known the tears were close until she tried to talk, her throat closing unexpectedly around the words so she had to force them out hoarsely. “Why would he come here? How did he find me?”
“He wouldn’t say. It’s a long way from Kentucky to here, though, so him showing up on Vanna’s doorstep was not random.” Bane leaned closer, the nearest he’d been to Myrt since the first day he’d been in the house.
She’d successfully avoided him since then, rising early to fix breakfast, then heading into the garden before the day’s heat gained teeth. After her self-assigned chores were complete, she’d found other ways to stay clear of the man, taking Cade on nature walks in the surrounding woods, spreading a blanket under the trees to hang out with Kitten or Josh, watching all three kids and the dogs play in the nearby creek—there were a thousand opportunities to avoid someone living under the same roof if a body was determined. Now, the scent she’d decided was simply Bane curled around her, bringing her heart rate down a notch. His thumb swept side to side on the back of her hand, across and back, across