Page 36 of One More Song

“You contacted a lawyer?” Ember doesn’t even try to hide the fear in her voice.

The asshole is all arrogance now. “Yeah, you might want to think about getting one too.”

He turns then, walking out the door, not shutting it behind him.

I turn to Ember when he’s gone. Her face is pale and she’s shivering.

“Motherfucker,” Synn mutters, shutting the front door.

“You okay?” Saint asks her.

She shakes her head, and I can tell she’s doing her best to hold back tears. I don’t care what the guys think, I pull her against my chest and hold her. Her body trembles and she lets out a few unsteady breaths, but still no tears come.

“You want us out of here?” Synn asks, shocking me.

“What?” She pulls back and looks at him.

“This is all because we’re living here.”

She shakes her head and sighs. “Mitch has been threatening to take her from me for years. I just...I never thought he’d try. He can barely take care of himself. But...if his girlfriend is moving in, then...”

I cup her jaw. “No judge in their right mind will take her from you.”

That’s when the tears fall. She wipes them away quickly, and takes a step back, all those walls I’d thought I’d torn down, being built back up right in front of my eyes.

“Maybe,” she says, but that one word is full of so much doubt.

I glance at Synn and Saint, telling them without words that I need a moment with her. Synn hesitates, his eyes darkening briefly before nodding. They both leave, and when the back door opens, I hear Cadence’s giggles from the backyard.

Ember’s hand is clammy when I take it and lead her to the front room, then sit down on the couch and gather her in my arms. The guys can give me shit all they want, she needs me right now.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter.

“For what?”

“Synn’s probably right. If we weren’t here—”

“No.” Her hand rests on my stomach, and she says softly, “I’m glad you’re here.”

I tilt her chin up and stroke my thumb across her bottom lip. “I’ll contact my lawyer, see what he can do.”

“I don’t need your help, Ash.” She starts to pull away, but I don’t let her.

“You’re afraid. I saw it when you looked at him.”

“Of course I am. He’s threatening to take my daughter away.”

“You’re sure that’s all it is?” My stomach is still twisting with the way he looked at her, the way she flinched whenever he spoke or moved toward her. I’d seen my own mom do the same with my dad.

Ember’s fingers play at the hem of my shirt. “I was young when I met Mitch. I did things...things I’m not proud of. Things he can use against me.”

“What kind of things?”

She shakes her head, this time she doesn’t physically pull away, but I know emotionally she’s shutting down.

“Hey, you’re talking to the king of mistakes.”

She chuckles, relaxing against me.

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