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With a final look at rates onDad shuffle around in the s his mutters as he talks to Theo AtoTheo comes out Dad tries to block my view of him, but I see the bastard anyway His back is to rowl emits from my throat When Theo stops in the hallway, I silently dare him to turn around

Dad shoves hirowls

My glare stays on their retreating backs until they’re out of view I look down to Vicki

“He doesn’t leave this house with Aria Got it?”

It only takes her a second before she’s givingdown the hallway in the direction Dad and Theo went I twist my head from side-to-side to help relieve some of the tension in the o to the bathroo like it’s full of razor blades Ella is in the bathtub, her legs spread open as she holds Jules in her protective arms Her face is in Ella’s neck, her knees drawn up to her chest, and she’s got a death grip on Ella’s shirt I can see the blood on Ella’s shirt from the cuts on her head

Never inhurt so da to Ella My chest feels like so out my heart with a dull blade

Ella’s eyes lift to ht, but underneath the anger is an innate sense of pain She’s angry but also hurting for what Theo did to Jules

Jules pulls her head from the crook of Ella’s neck and her eyes lift to me Her face is covered in sht above her left eyebrow I grindto break free from my throat

“Baby,” I whisper hoarsely The pain and tears in her eyes shred my insides

Before I’ her arms to me Ella watches as I bend down and carefully scoop up Jules Her ar her face againstleaf

“I’ainst her hair

I need to take her to the hospital to get her head checked over, but there’s so else I need to take care of first I step back from the bathtub to allow Ella to step out

“Grab soauze and peroxide,” I tell her, and she nods

I hate to do what I’ her out of ht

I carry Jules out of the bathrooer sprouts inon a chair with a blood-soaked rag held to his face Vicki is standing with her arms crossed behind the chair, her expression dark Dad is standing a few feet in front of hilacial as he stares down at his son Both Morateful she must have taken Aria so on