A Stone in the Sea(95)

A crowd swarmed around us, and we were bombarded by a cacophony of shouted speculations as the fucking paparazzi stole picture after picture of us. “Sebastian Stone…there are reports there was a near drowning at the home you’re staying at nearby. Can you comment?”

“Can you tell us who the child is who was involved?”

“What is your relationship with the child’s mother?”

“Does Hailey Marx know you’re here?”

I covered the back of Kallie’s head with my hand, pressing both of them as close as I could get them.

Guarding.

Hiding.

Protecting.

Refusing to let one of the most traumatic days we’d ever experienced become their entertainment.

“Stay away from us,” I warned.

They shouldn’t be here, weren’t supposed to know where we were. This place was supposed be a sanctuary.

I’d been right when I’d been tempted to give Jennings whatever he wanted and then turn and leave it all behind.

My shit would just follow me back here anyway.

There was no escape.

Anger speared me, and I shoved through the mass, tossing off the assholes encroaching on our space, invading on our lives.

“We don’t have anything to say,” I growled as they flocked. I wanted to spit as they followed us out to where my SUV was parked in the middle of the lot, a rapid-fire of questions shot at us from every direction.

I rushed to get Shea and Kallie into the back seat, slamming the door shut when they were safely inside.

When I turned, a microphone was thrust in my face. “Who was supposed to be watching the child when she nearly drowned?”

Fury lit, and I surged forward, pushing back. The asshole fell back onto the ground. “I said no fucking comment.”

I flung the driver’s door open and jumped inside. My heart was hammering so hard it felt like it was going to crack my ribs wide open. I pushed out a breath and gripped the steering wheel.

Anger spiraling.

Despair seeping.

Through the rearview mirror, my eyes darted to Shea and Kallie.

Kallie was clinging to her mother’s neck, eyes round and scared, breaths choppy and panted. “Mommy,” she cried quietly, her fear and confusion heavy in the air.

Tears streaked down Shea’s face, and she refused to meet my eye. “It’s okay, Butterfly. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”

When Shea finally coaxed Kallie into her booster seat, I put the Suburban into gear.

Part of me wanted to run all these assholes down, the lot of them scattering as I gunned it in reverse, then flung it into drive.

Silence engulfed the cab as I wound around the city, taking a long, twisted route back to Shea’s house just in case any of those fuckers made the fatal mistake of trying to follow.

This was the last thing I’d wanted. For my life to affect theirs.

Not after today.

Not after what Kallie had been through.

Not after what Shea had been through.

At just after seven, I pulled up in front of Shea’s house and parked at the curb. I went straight for the back passenger side door, pulled Kallie into my arms, and tucked Shea’s shivering body into my side.

All our movements were slowed with the trauma of the day.

April had made soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Kallie inhaled everything, Shea barely touched hers, and I couldn’t stomach mine at all.

Shea quietly led Kallie upstairs to give her a bath. Water ran somewhere above, and I paced her kitchen, wishing for a different life. Wondering again if it was worth the cost.

April did the dishes and shot me glares that fluctuated between disgust, confusion, and gratefulness.

“You’re back,” was all she said.

“Yeah,” I returned, wishing I could claim it without wondering if it was for the best. Shea had been so eager to accept me for who I was, for what I did, but I didn’t think she had the first idea what that was truly going to be like.

An hour passed of giving Shea the space I knew she needed before I couldn’t stand it any longer. Slowly I climbed the stairs. I found both of them in Shea’s big bed in their pajamas, Shea on her side and wrapped around Kallie, hair wet. No doubt she’d gotten into the bath with her because she couldn’t bear the idea of being separated from her.

I stood there watching them in the shadows, Shea’s breaths heavy and shallow and pained, Kallie’s slowed as she escaped into blissful sleep.

Edging around Shea’s bed, I cautiously crawled in bed behind her and tucked her into the well of my chest.

I wondered if she’d come to her senses, realized I wasn’t worth this kind of burden, and push me away.

She only pulled my arm tighter around her.

My palm went over Kallie’s heart, feeling it beat, the steady rise and fall of her chest as she slept.