Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Still unsure of what had just happened, I closed the door and skirted around him, making my way over to the booth.
He followed, concern creasing his brow as he settled into the opposite side. “What’s that?”
“I don’t know,” I murmured as I began to scan the document.
With every word I read, my pounding heart roared in my ears.
At the top, on the left-hand corner of the page, Jeff’s name was listed with the word plaintiff beside it, my name directly below with the title defendant underneath.
The oxygen was stripped from my lungs as I realized it was a motion for an emergency custody hearing.
I squeezed my eyes shut, certain I’d misread it, but when I opened them again, the same frightening sentence was staring back at me.
“Gwen, look at me.” Truett’s hand covered mine.
I managed to tear my gaze away from the document in my hand and met his worry-filled eyes.
“What is that?”
My throat was dry, which made the effort to answer and say the words aloud nearly impossible. “Jeff…” I trailed off, looking back down at the court order.
A growl tore from Truett’s throat. “Jeff what?”
I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to overtake me. “Jeff’s trying to get full custody of Nate.”
In the blink of an eye, Truett was on his feet, the papers I’d been holding ripped from my hand as he seethed, “You’re fucking shitting me.”
I shook my head, my chest tight.
It didn’t make sense.
Why would he try to take Nate away from me?
Truett’s eyes were full of fury as he quickly read the documents. With the flick of his wrist, he tossed them back to the table. “This is bullshit.”
I snatched them up and fully read them this time, going slowly, word for word.
Truett paced beside me, inventing new cuss words.
“It says that he feels Nate is in immediate risk of emotional harm or substantial bodily injury,” I croaked, disbelief knotting my stomach. I kept reading, frantic for answers.
And then everything stopped as I saw Truett’s name at the bottom.
And then it got worse. It stated that there was video evidence of Truett assaulting Jeff.
And then it got worse again. It stated that a PI had taken pictures of Truett at my house, claiming that Truett had moved in with me and Nate.
“Oh, God.” I slapped a hand over my mouth as Truett sidled up beside me, reading over my shoulder.
Holy shit, Jeff was really going to do this. He knew all about Truett. Everything he’d been through. One of the things I’d loved about him when we’d first met was that he had been sensitive about my past and supportive of keeping Kaitlyn’s memory alive with Nate.
And now, he was going to try to take Nate away from me?
I looked up to Truett, hoping he would have the answers. Instead, his jaw was set in a hard line, guilt written all over his features.
“That motherfucker.”
“This is ridiculous,” I said. “You’re not a threat to Nate.”
He laughed without humor and stabbed a hand through his hair. “This isn’t about Nate. He knows we’re back together. I told him you were mine. He’s jealous and his ego is bruised. This is the only way that pussy can hurt me—by hurting you.”
Yep. That sounded like Jeff. God knew he had no problem hurting me. But Nate? He knew that our son would end up collateral damage. And he did it anyway. This was a new low even for Jeff.
Rage surged through my veins. “No. He can’t do this. He doesn’t have a leg to stand on. You didn’t even get charged with anything.”
He hung his head. “No, and I’m sure that lit his ass on fire. But Folly was there. The windows were open. I’m sure that’s the video he has.” He scrubbed his beard with his hand. “You said it yourself. He knows every judge in this town. He’ll have no problem getting what he wants as long as I’m in the picture.” Unable to meet my eyes, he said simply, “I won’t be the one to cost you another child.”
For the second time that morning, it felt like all the oxygen was sucked from the room. He didn’t have to elaborate. I knew that look. I knew his thought process. I knew all too well what would follow.
He was convinced that he was the reason we’d lost Nathanial and Kaitlyn. That he was responsible for them being taken from me—from us.
And then he’d left me. Making life-altering decisions that were never his to make.
I stared at him, unable to formulate a single sentence as my mind swirled. A myriad of emotions washed through me.
Anger.
Fear.
Frustration.
I’d waited for years to be able to get to a place of happiness and contentment. Just a few moments ago, I’d thought I’d finally made it.
Everything had been falling into place.