Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“We thought you would be able to help. Give her somewhere to go and help us make plans for the future,” Seth declares.
“We have a safe house,” Lexi says, and I look up at her, knowing we do not have a safe house, “but it’s in the process of being renovated.” She looks at Kennedy. “We can talk to our in-house counsel,” I look up at her, “and we can put you up in a hotel until then.”
She pulls out her phone. “We can have you talk to her privately, if you like.” Kennedy nods her head.
“I’ll call her now,” Lexi says as she walks into her office. Serafina runs back into the room with panic on her face looking for her mother. Who bends to take her in her arms.
“Have you guys eaten today?” Kylie asks and Kennedy looks at her daughter.
“This morning we had breakfast and then when he left, we left.”
“Where does he think you are now?” Kylie asks her.
“A playgroup,” she whispers, “at the church.”
Lexi comes out of her office. “Riley is on the phone,” she says of her cousin, who practices family law. “She can speak with you.”
Kennedy gets up and puts JJ on her hip and then holds out her hand for Serafina. “Thank you.” She looks at Seth. “Will you come with me?” He gets up and walks with her into Lexi’s office and they shut the door.
“Okay, what the fuck are you doing?” I look over at Lexi. “Where is this safe house we have?”
“One that we are going to buy as soon as she leaves,” she confides, and Kylie nods her head. “We are going to put her up in a hotel until we close.”
“I don’t know about this,” I say honestly. “I think we need to plan more. There has to be steps taken to make sure that it’s all handled without any backlash on all sides.”
“You see that fear in her eyes?” Lexi says in a whisper. “I had that fear but hers is down to her bones. I was lucky, I had a family who had my back. I had myself to worry about; she has two children. I can’t even imagine.”
“We will help in any way,” Kylie states, “but I have to agree with Tori. This has to be done—”
Lexi cuts her off. “So we just send her back to him? Send them back to him?”
Neither of us know what to say and when Kennedy comes out of the office, we make plans to speak to her in a couple of days. She agrees that we have things set up before she leaves him.
I get up out of my chair as Lexi and Kylie go to her office and they call the realtor. I pick up my phone, calling the one person I know who can make everything better. “Hey,” Zane says, answering the phone after one ring, “how did you know this was perfect timing?”
“I have you chipped,” I joke with him and smile when he bursts out laughing. “It’s like an AirTag, just had the doctor insert it into you at your last physical.” I quip. “Where are you?”
“At the office. Why?”
“I,” I look toward the door, “I just had a really bad meeting and I—”
“I can be there in fifteen or I can be home in twenty,” he offers, and I hear him moving on his side of the phone. “Where do you want to meet?” He doesn’t even give me a chance to speak. “I’ll pick you up in fifteen. Don’t drive.”
He disconnects the phone, not giving me a chance to say anything. My eyes fixate on the screen of the computer as I replay the meeting over and over in my head. I get up and walk over to Lexi’s office. “I’m going to head out.”
“That was a lot for you,” Lexi says, leaning back in her chair. “Are you going to be okay?”
“That was the most insane thing, I think, that has ever happened in my life. I’ve been pretty lucky to be sheltered from things like this,” I state honestly. “I come from a family has protected me and cared for me in ways not many people get. I don’t think I know anyone who has been in that situation.”
“That’s the scary part,” Kylie says, “you probably do, but they hide it so well you have no idea.”
“That is what has me so thrown. We met her while we were renovating the playground, and we had no idea.” I look down. “How many other people are in dire need and haven’t gotten help?”
“You can only help the people who ask for it,” Lexi comforts softly as the door to the office opens. I look over to see Zane, his eyes going wild as he looks at my desk and then finds me. His chest is heaving as if he ran here from the rink.