Beck
IwatchedStaceystrollout of my house looking smug and swore. Looking around, I saw Jack watching Arlo and Henry in the pool while Sawyer knelt in front of the twins, no doubt telling them to behave. We’d left Winnie exposed. I glared at the grill that Jack should’ve been manning and rushed to get the burgers off so I could go check on Winnie. I saw the girls sprint out of the house and watched Olive grab Birdie to whisper something before they hunched over and hurried back inside.
I dropped the tongs next to the grill and decided the burgers could burn. There were red flags waving all over the place. Birdie and Olive were plotting, Stacey was licking her lips like she’d just killed her prey, and I had a feeling Winnie was at the center of it all.
Storming into the house, I looked around and finally found a suspiciously still Winnie in the kitchen. She normally fluttered around, and seeing her just staring out the kitchen window at the side yard sent a chill down my spine.
“Kitten?”
Winnie jumped and spun around. Before she could hide it, I saw the pure sorrow on her face. “You scared me!”
I moved into her space and stroked her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
Her smile was weak, but there was determination in her eyes. “Nothing. I just came in to get something to drink and got distracted. We should get back to the party.”
I gently wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “Did Stacey say something to you?”
A flash of pain passed over her face. “No, nothing like that. I was just thinking about my old job, I guess.”
I frowned. “Winnie.”
She pulled out of my arms and smiled a weak smile at me while rushing out of the kitchen. “Come on, Beck. Arlo will be wondering where you are.”
With my fists balled at my sides, I leaned back against the cabinets and tried to calm down. The guys and I were all on the same page: we were going to figure out a way to make Winnie ours for good, but I had a distinct feeling that she was slipping away from us.
Back outside, Jack was at the grill, a frown on his face as he stared at where Winnie, who was settling on a pool chair. I saw why when I noticed Stacey moving to sit next to her. The girls were hanging out around Winnie, so I didn’t think Stacey could do anything to upset her.
Jack shot me a look and nodded to Sawyer, who had the look of a man set on making a scene and destroying his ex. I cut him off and grabbed his arms. “You’re looking a little furious, Sawyer. Maybe you should take a breath.”
He’d never looked angrier as he met my eyes. “She needs to get the fuck out, right now. Silas just told me she’s been calling Win names in the house. Ugly names that Silas didn’t even want to repeat, and you know he fucking loves a chance to swear.”
We both turned, ready to burn the place down to protect Winnie, but Stacey was already standing to leave. I saw what the girls had been up to a second too late, not that I was sure I could have helped. They pulled a ribbon tight between two pool chairs, catching Stacey’s ankles and sending her flying straight into the deep end of the pool with a loud scream.
“Sonofabitch.” Sawyer kicked his shoes off and ran to dive into the pool. He knew what the girls didn’t know: Stacey couldn’t swim.
I charged towards Olive, dead set on ripping her a new one. I hated Stacey too, but murder wasn’t something I was willing to overlook. Sawyer was already dragging a crying Stacey to the shallow end by the time I got to the pool.
Winnie was already kneeling in front of both girls, angrily chastising them. “You two could’ve seriously hurt your friend’s mother! Do you understand how selfish that was? You wanted to get back at her and you didn’t think of anyone else. You’re both going to apologize to Stacey, and then you’re going to apologize to Nick and Silas for doing that to their mother. I can’t believe you girls. You both know better!”
“But—”
“No.” Winnie’s voice was harsher than I’d ever heard it as she stood up and moved back a step. “No excuses. No matter what your reasoning, what you did was wrong. She could’ve drowned. I don’t want to hear another word until you apologize.”
Birdie glared over at Stacey, and I followed behind her and Olive as they marched over. I could already tell it wasn’t going to go down the way Winnie wanted when Birdie put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. “My mom said I should apologize to you, but I’m not going to because you’re an asshole.”
Winnie screeched. Her horror at her daughter calling another adult a nameshewouldn’t even say was clear as she reached for Birdie.
Birdie wasn’t done, though. “I heard what you said to my mom. Olive did, too. You called her names and made her sad. You bullied her and called her a hot dog and I’m glad you fell in the pool!”
“You little liar. I did no such thing!” Stacey was still sputtering out water and leaning against Sawyer, who I wanted to punch in the face for not realizing that he looked like he was siding with his ex-wife.
What happened next took us all by surprise. Our sweet little kitten, who only cursed when we made her during sex and never said a harsh word to anyone, turned into a fucking lion.
“Donotcall her a liar when we both know that she’s telling the truth, Stacey. You’ve bullied me for years, and I’ve taken it, but you’re not going to pull that shit with my child. Do you understand me?” Winnie leaned closer, her eyes flashing. “Raise your voice at my kid again, and Sawyer will need to do a lot more than pull you out of a little water.”
Birdie cheered, but she instantly stopped when her mom’s eyes turned to her. “Sorry!”
“You. Apologize to Nick and Silas.”