“I know you’re not pleased with the situation, and I’m not either, but I don’t know what the next step should be. I haven’t heard back from Madison yet, and poor Gavin looked so happy.” Sawyer didn’t bring Savie into the equation because he honestly didn’t know how she felt. “I’m just trying to make them happy.” He took a step closer to Ford. “It’s only one night, and she is locked out of the house.”
Ford sighed and turned to him. “I do understand. I don’t want them mad at me, either, but that woman is bad news. I could feel the waves of anger rolling off of her. And how she talked to me? I’ve got one word for her. Bitch with a capital B.”
Sawyer nodded. Ford wouldn’t hear him disagreeing to that. He’d seen her in action himself.
Sawyer wiped his face and let out a breath. “She is going back to rehab tomorrow, and she’ll be out of the kids’ lives for months, if not longer for leaving without permission. After that, we’ll see what comes next.”
Sawyer had planned to get her back to supervised visitation once she had completed rehab and showed herself to be responsible and free from using. Right now, that idea was up for debate seeing what she had just done.
He didn’t know if the drugs made her treat Gavin and Savie the way she did, or if that was who she really was. Either way, he had no intention of leaving her alone with the kids. And Sawyer was willing to go to court if he had to, though he hoped it didn’t come to that.
“Let’s go to sleep. At least she’ll be out of here soon after we wake up tomorrow.” He quickly got changed and then put a hand out for Ford to take, and he did. Sawyer thanked his stars that Ford at least wasn’t pissed at him anymore. He pulled Ford into him. “Do you trust me?”
Ford groaned and nodded. “I trust you, but, babe… it’s her I have doubts about. I feel like she’s up to something, and it bugs me that we don’t know what it is.”
Ford was right about that, but they just needed to get through the next few hours and hope that tomorrow came without any upsets.
17
Ford
Ford tried hard to fall asleep, but sleep made him its bitch. All he kept doing was checking the alarm clock, but it felt like time was moving at a snail’s pace.
Sawyer seemed to be in the same boat, only he stared into space after dropping the pretense of reading. He considered suggesting they dig through the cabinet where all the board games had been stored after their family game night or something, just so they could get through the night together.
However, this was one of those times silence worked best, so he just watched that clock as the time inched closer and closer to the morning and the time when the witch would be gone from their lives.
Maybe he was being petty calling her that, but he didn’t care. She ruined Callum’s birthday and upset Savie, and she would surely break Gavin’s heart.
He must have dozed because the next time he woke up, the clock read 3:07. Last time he checked, it had just turned midnight. Ford frowned, not sure what had woken him up. He checked his bladder, but he didn’t need the bathroom… so it wasn’t that.
He turned to Sawyer and smiled when he saw his mouth open with a bit of drool down the side of his cheek. It was nice to know that the man wasn’t totally perfect.
Ford heard a noise and he bolted upright. What the hell was that? He listened for it again. The nightlights that lined the hallway cast moving shadows under their bedroom door, and there were hushed voices.
Ford looked over to Sawyer. He had his arm draped over his eyes and his lips were turned downward, but from his even breathing, Ford could tell he was still asleep.
He tossed back the covers and quietly moved to the bedroom door and pressed his ear against it. He heard Cynthia’s voice.
“Savanna,” she hissed. “Grab Callum while I finish getting Gavin ready.”
Ford jerked. She was trying to take the kids. Ford ran over to the bed and shook Sawyer. “Sawyer… wake up… wake up.” He whispered so Cynthia didn’t know he was awake.
Sawyer groaned. “Five more minutes.”
“We don’t have five minutes. She’s going to take the kids.” He shook Sawyer’s shoulder again, harder this time. “Wake up. We have to do something.” His heart was racing. Ford was worried it would beat right out his chest.
He couldn’t let her get away. The kids were theirs to protect.
“Sawyer, wake up now.” Ford smacked his shoulder this time.
Sawyer sat up and almost headbutted Ford.
“She’s taking the kids.” He repeated again.
When his words penetrated Sawyer’s sleep-addled brain, he let out a growl a mama bear would be proud of and jumped out of bed like a match had been lit underneath him and the bed was on fire.
“Like hell she is. How the fuck did she get inside the house?”
They ran out of the room, down the steps, and caught Cynthia along with the three kids at the front door. She was whispering to Savanna as she fiddled with the door handle.
“And where the hell do you think you’re going?” At the sound of Sawyer’s voice, Cynthia spun around. Ford turned on the light since they’d been creeping around in the dark, illuminating the stunned look on the woman’s face. “You are not taking the kids anywhere.”
Cynthia’s eyes widened. She had Callum in her arms, and there were four suitcases by the door.
Savanna and Gavin's eyes looked like saucers, but Callum appeared to be still half asleep. “These are my kids.” Cynthia’s voice was harsh. “Your father was a fool to leave them with you. You have no right to them.”
“Legally, I
