LOGINJanine’s POVFriday MorningMy eyes snap open before the sun even fully rises.My heart is already racing.Today.I slowly sit up in bed and take a deep breath, pressing my hand to my chest like I can physically calm it down.Beside me, Tarek shifts and groans softly before rolling over.“Hon…” his voice is thick with sleep. “You okay?”“I’m fine,” I whisper, even though I’m clearly not.He squints at the clock.“…It’s five in the morning.”“I know,” I say quickly, already swinging my legs off the bed. “I just, there’s things I need to do. I have to prepare...”His arm snakes around my waist, pulling me right back down against him.“Janine,” he murmurs against my shoulder, “lay down.”“They’ll be here soon...”“They won’t,” he cuts in gently. “Flight lands at eight. The cars will pick them up. They’ll be here around nine, maybe nine-thirty.”I hesitate.He rubs my arm slowly. “You have time.”I let out a shaky breath… and finally relax into him.His warmth. His steadiness.God… this m
Janine’s POVOne Week LaterI swear I have walked this house a hundred times already.Back and forth. Room to room. Straightening things that are already straight. Fixing pillows that don’t need fixing. Checking doors that have been closed perfectly fine for the last hour.Tomorrow… my girls will be here.My girls.I still can’t even say it without my chest tightening.Kylie. Chloé.With their husbands, and their children.My grandchildren.I press my hand to my chest and take a slow breath, trying to calm the storm building inside me.“Breathe, Janine,” I mutter to myself as I walk into the living room for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. “Everything is fine. Everything is good.”But it’s not just excitement.It’s nerves.It’s guilt.It’s hope.And then there’s Dustin.I glance toward the hallway just as my husband walks in, already dressed, already composed, because of course he is.“Still pacing?” he asks, amused.I shoot him a look. “Of course I’m pacing. My daughters are c
Lucas’s POV 15 Minutes before the court hearings “Alright,” I say, turning to face everyone gathered around me. “When we go in there, we stay together. We will be a united front. No drama, no reactions, just observe. Got it?”There are nods all around, but I can already tell… that’s easier said than done.My mom looks at me, brows slightly furrowed. “Are we waiting on someone else?”“Yeah,” I say. “Chris.”Clover’s eyes light up a little, a small smile forming. “You actually got him to come?”I shrug. “Didn’t have to do much convincing. He said he wanted to see his mother… and his sister.”Zade lets out a low whistle. “Oh shit… so it’s really about to go down?”I chuckle, shaking my head. “Not like you think. This is just an arraignment. Nobody’s getting sentenced today. It’s just pleas, court dates and that’s pretty much it. This is not TV court.”He nods slowly. “Still… feels like something.”“Yeah,” I mutter. “It is.”Right on cue, a car pulls up.Chris steps out.Tall, composed,
Daisy’s POV I’ve been locked up since Thursday.Let me say that again, yes sinceThursday.Same room. Same walls. Same isolated bullshit.And yeah, my so called attorney slash public defender finally came to see me… and had the nerve to tell me to take a plea deal.A plea deal for what? I didn’t do shit.No one has offered me anything. No one has even discussed terms. So what the hell is he talking about?He looks like he just graduated middle school. I swear to God. Supposedly he’s pushing thirty, but I don’t believe it. His suit? Straight off the rack and it's cheap, stiff, probably from some discount store. He doesn’t look like he knows what he’s doing, and that makes me nervous as hell.I’m not getting railroaded because of hus fucking incompetence.I refuse to. I have money stashed away, I just thought that the Blackwoods would hire me one, but I guess not.I tried calling the Blackwoods. Over and over again.Lauren finally answered me on Saturday.She cried.Said she loved me
Zade’s POV As we sit here, continuing to eat, a sense of relief settles over me.Relief that Daisy’s baby is okay.Relief that my wife, yeah, my wife, is giving me another chance.And for the first time in a long time, I feel… content.Sitting around family like this?Yeah… this is everything.I reach over, pulling Clover’s hand to my lips, pressing a soft kiss against it. She glances at me, a smirk playing on her lips.“What’s going on with you?” she asks.I just shake my head. “Nothing. I’m just… happy to be with you.”She laughs lightly, and that sound alone does something to my chest.Then I hear someone clear their throat.I look up snd it's Mr. Blackwood.“Yes, sir?”He leans back slightly, studying us. “I see you and my daughter have reached some sort of understanding. So, what are we doing about living arrangements? The house will be ready in a couple of weeks. We’re starting on the baby’s room next week.”I nod slowly. “I’d love to live with Clover… but I think it’s too soon
Daisy’s POV Knock. Knock. Knock.I don’t even bother saying anything. I just sigh and turn my head toward the hospital door as it swings open.Of course it's Detective Torres.Tight bun. Tight face. Tight-ass attitude.She walks in like she owns the room, hands clasped behind her back, that same annoying little smile sitting on her lips.“Well, Ms. Daisy Blackwood,” she says, dragging my name out like it’s something sour, “we’re gonna go ahead and get you prepped for transport. You’ll remain on the gurney.”I roll my eyes.She tilts her head slightly. “One thing’s for sure and two things for certain, you are pregnant… but you are also a nuisance.”I scowl. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”She lets out a short laugh. “It means your little stunt didn’t do anything except piss us off.”I look away from her, jaw tight.“Daisy,” she continues, her tone shifting just slightly, “I don’t think you understand what you lost. You had a family that loved you.”I scoff. “Yeah. Sure.”“No
Zade’s POVAs I walk Clover back to the dining area and we finish up, I can’t stop thinking what the hell is going on? Is there some kind of hit out on redheads and dark-haired men? Is that a thing now? Or are they looking for someone specific?I shake my head as we pack up our to-go plates and gla
Clover’s POVAfter I stood and turned toward the restroom, I could feel Zay’s eyes on me, all heavy, lingering, like they were tracing every inch of my back.I shake my head to myself.I’m trying my damnedest to get away from this man, and yet he keeps pushing it. Always too close. Always too bold.
Zade’s POVI sigh as I look over at Clover, and for a moment, everything else fades.She’s glowing.Not just smiling, but whole. The happiest I’ve ever seen her in all the time I’ve known her, and I’ve been with her long enough to recognize when her smile is real and when it’s armor. This right her
Clover’s POVAs the car pulls up to the restaurant, I let out a long breath and glance over at Joe.“Joe,” I say lightly, “I know I’ve basically turned you into my personal driver.”He chuckles. “Miss Smith, that’s perfectly fine. And thank you for the business.”I laugh. “No problem.”He slows to







