Page 64 of Beautifully Broken Redemption

Justin took a runningleap and cannonballed into the pool. Anna laughed as the water splashed her. Justin’s head broke the surface. “What do I get?”

Anna pressed a single finger to her perfect lips in an exaggerated thinking gesture. “Eight and a half.”

“Aw, man,” he muttered, swimming over to the side of the pool. He looked up at Juliette and me. “What about you guys?”

I grinned. “The belly flop was better. I say seven.”

Justin flicked water in my direction. “You lie. You’re just jealous you can’t beat me in a cannonball competition.”

“I think it’s at least a nine. Justin’s right, big brother, you’re just jealous,” Juliette said, peeking out from under the wide brim of her sun hat. She’d been on better behavior today, and I had to hope that Jules had heard what I’d said at dinner last night and was getting her act together. But Anna was still giving her a wide berth, and I didn’t blame her.

“We’ll just have to see about that.” I stood, pulling off my t-shirt.

Lyla cheered from the shallow end. “Then will you throw me?”

“You know it.” Just as I was about to head for the pool, my phone rang on the side table. I stole a quick glance and swiped it up. “Hey, Dante.”

“That number came back.”

No time for pleasantries with Dante, he was always straight to business.

“And?”

“It’s a Google Voice number. I tried to get some information on it, but it’s all smoke and mirrors. I’ve got nothing.”

I grabbed the back of my neck and squeezed, trying to keep my expression blank. “I appreciate you doing what you could.”

“Forward me any other texts that appear. I want to keep a record for my profile.”

“Will do.”

Dante hung up without another word. When he was done, he was gone.

Anna climbed to her feet, moving towards me. “What did he say?”

I pulled her in closer, needing to feel her body flush with mine. She hadn’t put the pillow barrier in place last night. Anna had curved herself against me and let me hold her all night long. I hadn’t pressed for anything more than that. What she’d given was already such a gift. “It’s a Google Voice number, and there’s no data on it.” I knew from my time in law school that we wouldn’t be able to get any additional information from the company since the texts hadn’t been overtly threatening.

Anna’s shoulders slumped. “I was really hoping there would be something.”

I pressed my lips to the top of her head. “Me, too.”

“What’s going on?” Juliette asked.

I hadn’t even heard her get up from her chaise lounge. I looked around to see if the kids were within earshot, but they’d become engrossed in a splash fight. “Anna’s been getting some less-than-kind texts.”

Juliette’s lips pressed into a thin line. “And you had a P.I. trace them?”

“Yeah. It comes back to a Google Voice number.”

Her shoulders straightened as she faced off against Anna and me. “Wake up, Mase. She probably sent them herself. Those things are ridiculously easy to set up and hide your identity.”

Anna had gone stiff as a board in my hold. I pulled her tighter against me, trying to keep my anger in check so I wouldn’t say something I regretted. “Jules, that’s enough.”

“What? I can’t even have an opinion anymore?”

I looked down at Anna. Beneath the carefully blank mask was hurt. I felt the beginnings of a pull that had started the moment I’d told Jules that I’d gotten married. The tug between my sister and the woman who was beginning to mean everything to me. “I think it’s best if you leave.” The words burned as I let them loose.

Her mouth fell open. “Are you serious? She has completely blinded you. I’ve asked around about her in town, and people know almost nothing about her, even though you said she’s lived here for ten years. Where? Scamming off some other idiot?”

---