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I drove hoot in the front door, I couldn’t see straight I slipped up the stairs and flopped on rabbed it and threw it across the roo where I threw the pillow

"What are you doing here?" I asked looking around

He put a finger to his lips Jules ca into the room and jumped on the bed She curled into me and cried Mitch wasn’t far behind her He wrapped hi

It broke everything inside ofwasn’t a rando father A er Nomy soul to the devil to ensure it

I held ot we had an audience, until my mom came in She stood in the doorway and s"

I kissed Mitch on the cheek and smiled, "Go on" He wiped his face and shoved his ball cap down, then he stalked past his granded her, "Cookies"

She didn’t stir I lifted her off the bed and carried her to her room

When I came back in, I cli those"

She shook her head, "No No thank-you needed This is what fa"

I nodded, "You alere a good hed and sat on the bed I glanced around, looking for Coop but he wasn’t there

"That’s the payrandkids," she beamed

I rolled my eyes, "Me and sis were easy"

She folded her arrinned, "I never said you weren’t But you were kids Kids are kids"

I put a hand on hers and saw the resemblance We had the same hands I had hers I squeezed, "I need you to leave town"

She shook her head, "No, the kids need stability"

I pressed ether and took a deep breath, "They need to survive so I’m about to tell you, that youyou, not only so you are prepared to run and raise the"

She squeezedreen eyes and nodded, "You should be scared Jas He betrayed the country He sold secrets He was a rogue agent"

She shook her head, but I could see the truthstheir way into herand the uncertainty of her headshake

I whispered, "A badofhas been transferred into the ownership of this badCI has basically told s James did I have to help fix Jaer out of our lives and get what’s rightfully ours back"

Her face changed and I didn’t know the look she was giving me She looked around oddly, and whispered so silently, I barely caught her word, "Evie, we can run We can take the kids I have a little nest egg your father put aside, for just a htened, as silent tears slipped down her pale cheeks,

I shook my head and cut her off, "No They’ll find me They’ll hurt the kids or you They know all about all of us There is no way"

Ideas flew through herby like clouds in the sky She twitched and shook her head, "We can go to the FBI"

I laughed, "Jaovern As far as they’re concerned, he’s dead CI is going to take the three of you and go pick up Sissy, and take you somewhere Somewhere safe I won’t help them if they don’t do this I want you safe until this is over" My voice cracked, "You keep my babies safe"

She pulled her hand away, "God da?"

I shooknant I just never knew Dad told hi"

Her hands flew to her eyes, "You know?"

I gave her a look, "What?"

She sniffled and shook her head, "You know that for certain?"

I nodded