Page 9 of Playful Summer

There are secrets about our new family that sometimes makes me feel like we’re in a movie. The Mancinis are the head of the Chicago Mafia. The Bastianinis are the founders of the Cimaruta MC. And the Nikolaidises and Athanasious? Well, they’re the coolest. They’re shifters, real life humans that turn into animals. I never would’ve believed it if I hadn’t seen them shift with my own eyes.

The families have come to help us twice now. The first time, Emmanuelle, Lukas’ wife, had an ex that decided he wanted to start trouble. We found out he was part of the Russian mafia. Then Emiko had trouble with Seth’s parents, and again, our new family came in to help us. And this time they’re on their way to help me and my girl. Every time they come to help, they show us what family really means. Family means that no matter what, we always have each other’s backs.

I hope this time we won’t really need them. Even if I told them that, they’d still come. I feel better having more help with this situation. But at the same time, I wish they were just coming to visit and meet my Piper.

“You can’t make me leave. This is a public space and I’m not doing anything wrong.”

“Sir, I’ve told you, I have the restraining order in my hand.” Officer Taylor pulls his cuffs out and cuffs Marc.

“I’ll be back soon. This is all a stupid misunderstanding,” Marc says to Piper.

No one is saying anything, mostly because I don’t think any of us knows what to say. After Marc is gone, we all look at each other.

“Holy fuck, he’s nuts.” Rhett frowns. “Maybe we need to call our Lake Renegade family and see what they can find out about him?”

“One step ahead of you. They’re on their way here now,” I say to him.

Rhett nods at me. “That’s good, I have a bad feeling about Marc and this whole situation.”

“Me too. At least they can hold him because of the restraining order.”

“So you haven’t seen him at all in the past year?” Rhett asks Piper.

“Nope. I can’t say for sure that he wasn’t around. But I didn’t see him, and he didn’t contact me. Until now.”

“You need to move into the house with us. I don’t want you in the rental by yourself,” I say to her.

“Okay,” she says, without a fight.

I hate the worried look in her eyes. I take her in my arms.

“Marc won’t touch you. I promise you that.”

“Who’s your Lake Renegade family?” she asks.

“They’re our extended family, they always come to help when we need it. They’re going to love you.”

“I don’t know how they can help. Even with the restraining order, he’s still here. What can they do?”

I wish I could tell Piper who my family is. But I need to talk to them first.

“Trust me, they can help us,” I say as I kiss her head.

Piper

I wish I felt better knowing that Paxton’s family is coming to help us. When I took the restraining order out, it was because Iwas starting to get scared of Marc. But then he backed off and I thought he had moved on. Now he seems even more unhinged, and I have no idea of what he’s capable of.

“You’ll see, the Lake Renegade family will help you figure out what to do about Marc,” Emiko says.

“Have you met them?”

“I have. I should probably tell you what happened. When I moved here to Wintervale, Seth’s parents decided they wanted to take Kaito and Miyuki away from me. They went so far as to sue me for custody and said I was a horrible mother. They even tried to kidnap the kids. Rhett’s ex helped them by lying about me too. She wanted him back and thought that was the way to do it. Our Lake Renegade family came here and helped us. Lorenzo went to court with us and we won. Now they’re never going to come near us again.”

I had no idea that Emiko went through all that. And now I feel like an even crappier best friend.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to help you. I should’ve been here.”

“You didn’t know, it’s okay. You’re here now,” she says as she hugs me.

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