Page 3 of Declan's Dove

I raise my right hand. “Please, James. Let him go. He didn’t mean to barge in. He was scared. I’ll talk to him. Just please, let him go.”

James tosses Carter at me. I move to catch him but collapse, pain shooting through my arm and shoulder. My body lying limp beside him on the floor. Cater scoots as close to me as he can get, attempting to shield me.

My brave boy.

“Call the school. He’s staying home sick today.” James growls. “Talk some fucking sense into our son Violet, or so help me, I’ll do it myself.”

I nod my head. It’s all I can muster enough to do.

“I’m going to work. I want this place cleaned up when I get home. And don’t you fucking think about going to the hospital. I’ll call Dr. Woodrow to come fix you up. As for you, you little shit.” James stalks forward two steps, pointing his finger in Carter’s face. “You better learn your fucking place, or you’ll find yourself at the other end of my fist, like your mother. You got it?”

“Y-y-yes sir.”

James storms out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Carter goes to speak, but I quiet him with a finger to my mouth. We wait until we hear the front door close, followed by the sound of James’s cruiser leaving the driveway.

“Mama?” Carter’s soft, scared voice whispers my name.

“Carter, I need you to help me sit up. Can you do that, baby?” He nods, wiping the tears from his face with the back of his arms. He reaches his little arm under my right side and pushes me up. I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting back the groan of pain, not wanting to scare him further. Once I’m seated, I use my hand to hold Carter’s chin, keeping his eyes on mine.

“Go to the closet, and behind my shoe shelves there’s a cell phone. Get it and bring it to me. Can you do that for me, baby?”

“Yes ma’am.” While he runs into the closet, I scootch around on the floor, tugging my panties and my leggings back up my legs with one arm. It’s not the easiest thing I’ve ever had to do, but it’s not the hardest either. I get them up as best I can and sit, trying to catch my breath.

“Here Mama.” Carter hands me the phone. I push the button to power it on and wait.

“Baby, go get your backpack and bring it here.” He doesn’t hesitate to do as he’s told.

When he leaves the room, I open the phone app and push the contact listed as GUARDIAN.

It rings twice before a deep masculine voice says, “This is the Guardian. Angel, are you safe?”

“No. Angel and her cherub need a lift,” I repeat the code words Dr. D’Angelo made me memorize.

“I have a flight available in two hours. Take only the essentials. Your Guardian will pick you up at the rendezvous point discussed in our meeting.”

“Negative Guardian. Angel is injured. I won’t make it to the rendezvous point. The cherub needs medical attention as well. A doctor is coming to the house. I have to be here when he arrives, or he will notify my husband and the cops.”

“Fuck,” the man on the other end of the line mutters. “Standby.”

I focus on breathing through the pain as I wait for him to return to the line. It feels like time crawls. My head is pounding, my heart races as I wait to find out if they can still help me.

“Okay, Angel. When the doctor leaves, I want you to call me back. We will have Guardians in the area awaiting contact. Be ready to move immediately after contact is made. How badly are you and the cherub hurt? Are you mobile?”

“Yes. We’re mobile. I-I think my shoulder may be dislocated and I have some other bruises. I-I don’t think anything is broken. Maybe a cracked rib going by the pain I feel when I breathe deep.”

“Got it. And the cherub?”

“He’s okay. His wrist is injured. Bruised, I think, but I haven’t had a chance to really look at it.”

The doorbell rings and panic fills me.

“Mama, the doctor is here,” Carter yells up the stairs.

“Let him in,” I answer back. “I have to go. The doctor is here.” I end the call and shove the phone under the foot of the bed. When the doctor enters the room, he doesn’t show any signs of empathy or compassion. He’s one of my husband’s lackeys.

James has people in places I can’t even imagine. Cops, attorneys, judges, and apparently doctors. He can spin a story and have everyone on his side because he’s a good ol’ boy.

James Swanson. The kind, loving husband and father. Devoted to service and community. Respected Captain of the Baron’s Edge Sheriff’s Department. To the people of this town, he is the epitome of a good man.

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