“I am pretty damn awesome. Even if I don’t know where my phone is half the time.”

“You really are.” I paused for a moment. “You’ll let me know what CPS says?”

“Of course. I’ll call my contact first thing tomorrow morning.”

“I’m bringing you brownies,” I offered immediately. Nothing could ever be enough to repay Callie and the Alliance for everything they’d done for us, but I could keep her stocked in baked goods.

“Cream cheese frosting?” she asked hopefully.

“You know it.”

“Can’t wait. I have to go. I have another call in a few minutes. But take a deep breath and try not to worry. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“I will. I’ve got wine, a clean kitchen, and kids who aren’t currently trying to murder each other.”

Callie chuckled. “Sounds like a winning combination to me.”

It was. As Callie and I said goodbye, I stood, stretching and filling my lungs with air that held just a hint of salt. I pulled open the front door to hear Mia moan, “But I want to be the red one.”

I put on my best serious face. “Rock, paper, scissors. And if we have a sore loser, that color disappears.”

Mia’s eyes flashed with heat, but she nodded. The girls duked it out, and Ava was the winner. Mia held her tongue as Avs picked the red piece. I slid down next to Mia and gave her a squeeze, whispering in her ear, “Proud of you.”

She beamed up at me. “Proud enough for pancakes tomorrow?”

I couldn’t hold in my laugh. “You know I think you should be a lawyer one day. You’re too good at negotiations.”

Mia opened her mouth to speak but a shattering sound pierced the air. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion and yet super speed all at the same time. I turned my attention to the source of the sound but before I could recognize it, shards of glass sprayed, and something sliced across my temple.

The force of the blow had flashes of light dotting my vision. Screams filled the air around me, but they sounded far away, as if traveling through water. Slowly, they became more pronounced as the world came back into focus.

“Get down!” I cried, covering Mia with my body and pulling Ava to my side so I could shield her, too. There was nothing but silence, and then the screech of tires. I straightened slowly.

Ava, wild-eyed and tear-filled, searched the room in a panic. “Cae Cae,” she whispered.

“It’s okay. We’re going to be okay.” Things were about as far from okay as they could get.