Page 135 of Tattered (Lark Cove 1)

“He came after me,” I whispered. “He was watching us. He sent the emails.”

“I know. Sean tracked him down this afternoon.” His arms banded tighter. “Thank god, you’re okay.”

The adrenaline was fading and my muscles were shaking. The sides of my arms throbbed where Ronny had grabbed me. The strength in my legs was seeping into the concrete. So I clung to Logan, letting him hold me up. “You’re here?”

“I’m here.” He kissed my hair. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Seated at the kitchen table with Hazel and Thea, I sipped my coffee in silence. Hazel was staring blindly at her own coffee, letting everything Thea had just told her about last night sink in.

I’d never forget the feeling of helplessness I’d had last night. First on the drive to Lark Cove, when I hadn’t been able to get ahold of Thea. Then getting here to find out she was gone.

By the time I had arrived in Lark Cove, the sheriff was already at the house to warn Thea. Except Thea was on a walk. Hazel panicked and tried to get ahold of her numerous times, but every call went unanswered. When she called Jackson at the bar and no one had seen Thea, I immediately called Sean.

Within two minutes, he triangulated her cell to my house. It was a miracle that I found her in time and that nothing had happened to her. I wasn’t letting myself even consider the unthinkable.

After I knocked that psychopath Ronny unconscious, Thea and I spent the rest of the night at the sheriff’s department. We stopped by briefly to assure Hazel that Thea was okay, then went into the station right afterward to deliver our statements.

Even with everything Sean had already sent the officers—emails, prior records, photographs found on Ronny’s computer—it took hours before we could leave.

So when Thea and I got back to the cottage, we collapsed into bed for a few quick hours of sleep until we woke up to explain to Hazel what had happened, then take Charlie to her first day of school.

“Daddy?”

I spun around. Charlie was standing in the doorway wearing her pajamas.

I smiled and set down my coffee mug. “Hi, peanut.”

She blinked, then flew across the room, launching herself into my lap. Then she wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging m

e with all her might.

“I missed you.” I ran a hand up and down her back. I wanted so badly to tell her that I’d never be far again, but since Thea and I hadn’t talked about it yet, I kept my mouth shut and just held my girl.

“Good morning, honey.” Thea stood from her chair and came to kiss Charlie’s hair.

There were tears in her eyes, a mix of emotion and exhaustion. She’d tossed and turned against my side last night, until I’d held her so tight, using my arms and a leg to trap hers down, that she’d finally fallen asleep for a couple of hours.

But even with dark circles under her eyes, she was heart-stopping.

After she’d hugged me enough, Charlie leaned back and smiled. “Can you take me to school?”

I nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

I wouldn’t miss any of her first days of school again. Hell, if she wanted me with her for her first day of senior year, I’d walk her to class.

“Okay.” Thea sniffled. “We’d better get ready.”

The morning turned into a blur of activity as we had breakfast and got Charlie ready for school. Then, dressed in her new jeans, new shoes and new shirt, Charlie walked to her first day of first grade, accompanied by Hazel, Thea and me.

She kept ahold of my hand until we took her into her classroom and she put her backpack in her cubby. She’d been anxious on the walk, tugging on her hair and chewing her lip. But when two of her kindergarten friends and soccer teammates rushed up to her, all the nervous butterflies flew away. My peanut gave us a huge smile and wave, then disappeared into the classroom to pick her desk.

“Is it always that hard?” I asked Thea and Hazel as we headed back to the cottage.

I hadn’t expected a first-day-of-school drop-off to be so difficult. Charlie had been ready to let go, but I hadn’t.

“Yes,” Hazel and Thea answered together.

I took Thea’s hand, lacing her fingers with mine. Then I brought it up to my lips for a kiss. “I’m glad I made it.”