Get to Ember.
That’s all I can think about as I pull up to the house.
Putting the car in park, I hear a scream—a blood-curdling scream. I dial 911 on my cell, then toss the phone onto my passenger seat.
Rushing toward the house, I bound up the stairs toward the voices. One Ember’s. One Devlin’s.
When I reach the room, Devlin pushes past me, and I watch Ember crumple to the ground. All I want is to rush to Ember’s side, make sure she’s okay, but I’m not a paramedic. There is nothing I can do for her at the moment. Nothing except making sure her assailant pays. No way in hell is he getting away with this.
My knee be damned, I sprint toward him and fling my body at his as he steps through the door to escape. We topple to the ground.
I hear Mark’s voice first, then the sounds of police.
“Up here,” I shout.
Mark makes it to the edge of the steps where I have the douchebag on the ground.
“I got him. Go check on Ember.”
Mark takes over my hold and cuffs the guy as I scramble to Ember’s side. The floor is covered in blood from the gash on the side of her head.
“Wake up, baby,” I plead as I gently brush the hair away from her face.
I know better than to move or touch her too much. Between the blood on the floor and the lump on her head, I can only imagine what type of trauma she may have sustained.
“It’s okay, baby. I’m here.”
A moment later, paramedics surround us, pushing me out of the way. Mark stands next to me as I watch them work on her.
The world stops spinning, and everything goes silent.
“Amelia.”
I rush out of the room and through the house, screaming her name, letting her know that it’s me. If he hurt her, if he so much as laid a finger on her… I will end him.
“Daddy?”
I can hear her sob come from the closet. I pull the door open, and she springs into my arms.
“Thank God you’re okay.”
“What happened? Who was that man? Is Ember okay?”
“Shh. It’s going to be okay.” I carry her out of the room and down the stairs, Mark trailing behind. “We’re all going to be okay.” Seeing Devlin pressed up against the squad car, smiling, I set Amelia down. “Stay with Uncle Mark.”
“What are you doing, Ryder?” Mark shouts.
I charge at Devlin. Grabbing his shirt, I fist it in my hands and slam him against the car.
“I’m going to kill you.”
“Did you hear that, officer? That was a threat.” Devlin continues to laugh and smile.
The office is trying to talk me down, but it’s no use. This piece of shit threatened my family—hurt my family—and I’m going to make him pay.
“Easy, boy.” Mark’s hands are on me, pulling me off of the prick, then holding me back.
The police shove him into the car, narrowly missing hitting his head on the frame. Finally breaking free from Mark, I turn and pick up a hysterical Amelia and hold her tightly.