She shook her head. She looked to Savanna and Gavin who were still motionless and wide-eyed. “I’m taking them, Sawyer. You can’t stop me.” She backed up to the door, her hand again on the handle.
“Legally, you can’t take them, Cynthia. You’re well aware of that.” Sawyer used that same soothing voice, and all Ford could do was stand there and pray. Even though Sawyer was doing his best to reason with her, Ford was worried he wouldn’t get through in her current state.
“No one will find us. Not you… not Social Services… no one.” Her voice got higher and higher. Ford looked to Gavin and Savanna, and he saw how scared they were becoming. He wanted to run to them, hold them, comfort them, and then tell them that everything would be alright, but he didn’t dare move.
Savanna suddenly spoke for the first time. She looked at her mom. “Where are we going, Mom? Why won’t they find us?”
Cynthia looked over to her oldest. “Shut up,” she snapped. “The adults are talking.”
“Don’t speak to her like that.” Ford finally spoke up, hating the way Savie’s face fell and how her eyes glistened with unshed tears. He took a step forward, but Sawyer reached out and stopped him, blocking him with his arm. He looked over to Ford and shook his head, mouthing, “Patience.”
Ford swallowed and nodded, but it took everything in him not to give in to the panic, and not because he thought Cynthia would get away, but because Ford wasn’t sure what Cynthia would do. The woman was clearly unstable.
Sawyer faced Savanna. “Savanna, will you please take Callum and Gavin into the living room while we talk?” She held Sawyer’s gaze for a brief second, but slowly nodded. “It’s going to be alright. I promise, honey. Please take your brothers.”
Savanna turned to her mom and held out her hands to take Callum, but Cynthia blocked her. Mother and daughter stared at each other. “Please, Mom.”
Ford watched closely, praying Cynthia listened to her daughter and did as she was asked.
When she handed Callum to Savie, Ford released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding, and he saw some of the tension leave Sawyer’s body.
“Come on, Gavin.” Savanna held her free hand out to her brother, and he grabbed it quickly. The rest of the tension left Sawyer when the kids were out of sight.
Cynthia shook her head and crossed her arms. “No need for all the theatrics, Sawyer. You can’t stop me. Those three kids are mine, whether you like it or not.”
“Biologically, you’re right. They are yours.” Sawyer clenched his feet, and Ford put a hand on his shoulder. “I won’t go into what landed you in rehab, but the courts mandated that you go there. They also stripped you of your visitation rights to them long before I ever came along.”
Cynthia growled and took a step towards them, but stopped short.
“This doesn’t have to be a fight. Complete your rehab program, and I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement like the one you had with my… your ex-husband.”
“Your father was an asshole.” She gave a bitter laugh.
Sawyer wasn’t going to argue with her. He had no fond thoughts for the man, but that didn’t have a place in this battle.
“Well, a judge decided to give him full custody. That wasn’t my father’s doing… and certainly wasn’t mine. So, no, Cynthia, you are not taking the children.”
“Who’s going to stop me?” She took a step closer.
“I’ll be happy to call the cops,” Sawyer said. Ford handed the phone to Sawyer, and he began to dial.
Cynthia froze. “Wait!” She raised her hand. “I’ll leave.”
Sawyer’s gaze narrowed, but he didn’t put the phone down. Not that Ford blamed him. Like Ford, he was probably waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“You want me to go and be out of your lives forever?” Cynthia had a look in his eyes Ford couldn’t decipher. “How much you willing to pay?”
Ford’s jaw dropped, and he shook his head. “If you won’t call the cops, I will.” He took the phone from Sawyer’s hands. When he unlocked it, Sawyer reached out and covered the phone. Ford looked up, and when they made eye contact, Sawyer shook his head.
Sawyer turned to Cynthia. “You’re seriously going to use your own children as leverage for money?”
Cynthia made a sound that could only be described as a cackle. “How do you think your father kept me away. He was as gullible as you are.”
Sawyer stood there for a moment, a play of emotions crossing his features before a calm seemed to overtake him. He looked at the woman and responded in a monotone voice, “Wait right here. I’ll grab my checkbook.”
Ford wanted to argue, but he could tell by the set of Sawyer’s jaw that he’d made up his mind. He only glanced Ford’s way to tip his head toward the office before striding off. When he turned back to Cynthia, she was smiling like the Grinch when he had stolen all those presents.
Why did he feel like they’d been played and this was her plan all along? The children never mattered to her.
Ford had to control the urge to smack the triumphant grin from her face.
18
Sawyer
Sawyer was in the process of grabbing his checkbook so he could head back to the foyer from his office when Ford came in, arms crossed and a scowl on his face. “What are you doing?”
Sawyer looked up from his desk.. “What does it look like? I’m attempting to avoid
