Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 60978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60978 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“Mr. Hudson, I presume?” Ms. Winters noted with satisfaction that made my skin crawl. “Right on cue.”
Hannah hesitated only briefly before buzzing Ash in. The moment the door unlocked, he burst through with barely contained fury, clutching a thick manila folder. His eyes swept the room, landing on Ms. Winters with laser focus.
“Ash, who called you?” I whispered as he passed.
“Fuckin’ CPS.” Without breaking stride, Ash approached the counter and slammed his folder down with enough force to make everyone jump. “I have rights too, you know,” he shouted, his face reddening. “You called me because I’m Lily’s father. Just because I haven’t been in Lily’s life doesn’t mean I don’t get my say. Eliza is innocent until proven guilty. Isn’t that still the way they say it works?”
Ms. Winters regarded him with clinical detachment, not even flinching at his outburst. “Mr. Hudson. How kind of you to join us.” She put her shoulders back and her chin up. “When there is a concern a child is in danger, we have an obligation to act. I’ve seen the preliminary reports of Lily’s testing and they’re inconclusive.”
“Inconclusive?” Ash’s voice rose dangerously. “Three specialists agreed on the diagnosis. Bone density scans confirmed it. What more do you want?”
“The full genetic panel, for starters,” Ms. Winters replied coolly. “And a treatment plan overseen by medical professionals, not a collection of criminals playing doctor.”
Officer Martinez shifted uncomfortably behind Ms. Winters. “Ma’am, did you show the judge those results? Because I don’t remember you saying --”
“The results will be reviewed by us when everything is in,” Ms. Winters cut him off. “In the meantime, my concern is Lily’s immediate safety in an environment populated by violent offenders.”
Ash slammed his hand on the counter again. “The only person who’s hurt Lily in this whole mess is you! You dislocated her shoulder, or did you conveniently forget that part?”
Ms. Winters’ expression hardened. “An unfortunate incident occurring during a necessary removal based on credible evidence of abuse.”
“Evidence you manufactured!” Ash shouted, his control slipping further.
I stepped forward, recognizing the dangerous edge in his voice. “Ash, man, take a breath. This isn’t helping Lily or Eliza.”
He whirled on me, his eyes wild with a mix of fear and rage I recognized all too well. “Don’t tell me what helps my daughter. Where were you before all this? Swooping in to play hero with my family?”
The accusation hit harder than it should have, especially with Eliza watching, her face pale with shock at Ash’s outburst.
“This isn’t about us,” I said quietly, keeping my voice level. “It’s about keeping Lily with her mother where she belongs.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Ash stepped closer, his breath coming in short bursts. “It’s my daughter they’re threatening to take. Mine.”
I raised my hands in a peacekeeping gesture. “I know, man. We’re all on the same side here.”
Something in my tone must have pushed him over the edge. His face contorted with fury as he drew back his arm and threw a wild punch toward my face. I managed to shift just enough he only glanced off my jaw, but the impact still snapped my head to the side. Pain bloomed along my face as I stumbled back a step.
Before I could react, Knuckles moved with surprising speed for a man his size. He grabbed Ash from behind, pinning his arms and immobilizing him against the wall. “Enough!” he growled into Ash’s ear. “You’re making everything worse.”
Ms. Winters’ lips curled into a smile that never reached her eyes. “Well,” she said, closing her folder with deliberate calm. “I believe he proved my point about the environment here.”
Eliza looked devastated, her gaze moving between Ash’s struggling form, my bruising jaw, and Ms. Winters’ satisfied expression. The fear in her eyes cut deeper than Ash’s punch ever could.
Officer Martinez looked deeply uncomfortable now, his gaze fixed somewhere on the middle distance as if trying to dissociate from the situation.
“You set this up,” I realized aloud, the pieces suddenly falling into place. “You wanted this to happen.”
Ms. Winters ignored me completely, turning her attention back to Eliza. “Ms. Jans, given what has just transpired, I believe we need to discuss the next steps regarding Lily’s placement. Immediately.”
The blood drained from Eliza’s face as she realized what was coming next. I moved toward her instinctively, wanting to offer protection, comfort, anything to erase the devastation in her eyes. But I stopped short, suddenly unsure of my welcome after last night and the scene Ash had just caused.
Knuckles maintained his grip on Ash, who had stopped struggling but still vibrated with barely contained rage. Knuckles hissed something in his ear, obviously meaning business and Ash better shut the fuck up.
“If you’ll come with me, Ms. Jans,” she said, extending her hand toward the hallway leading to the residential area. “We need to collect Lily now.”