Page 73 of The Redemption of Remy St. Claire

A look passed between the girls.

Her stomach flipped. She dropped to her knees, grabbing each girl close. “Are you okay? Both of you? Are you hurt?” She did a cursory examination, and they seemed fine.

Mira met her eyes. “We made a mess Remy.”

“We can clean a mess, Mira.” She rose, scooping each girl’s hand in her own. “Now why don’t you show me the mess?”

The closer they got to the kitchen, the more reluctant the girls became. They were expecting her to get angry.I won’t. She could clean spilled milk.

When she got to the kitchen, however, her chest constricted.

“Rusty!” She was scaring the girls, but she couldn’t stop herself. “Rusty!”

The bedroom door burst open as he barged out of the bedroom. “What is it, Remy?”

The girls tore themselves away from her and launched themselves at him.

“We’re sorry—”

“We didn’t mean to make a mess—”

“We’ll clean it up—”

“So sorry—”

He knelt, scooping the girls in his arms.

He glared at her, silently admonishing her for upsetting the girls. Still, she couldn’t stop the constriction of her chest. Shaking, she stepped aside and pointed to the kitchen.

“Oh my God.” The words were quiet, the panic real.

There was an awful pause.

“Daddy, sorry about the mess—”

“Rusty, we didn’t mean—”

He eased the girls to the floor. “We’re not upset about the mess, do you understand? This isn’t about the mess. The adults need to talk, so could you young ladies go to your room and get dressed? Then we’ll make some pancakes.”

“Yes!”

“Pancakes!”

All was forgiven as the girls raced to their room.

When he reached for her, Remy went willingly, still shaking.

“What if—”

“But it didn’t.”

“But what if…” She choked down a sob, curling into his chest, trying to erase the vision in her mind.

The vision of the knife sticking straight out of the toaster.

Chapter thirty-two

Getittogether.You’rethe adult.

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