Page 114 of Protecting Addison
Addison stiffened. She really didn’t want to talk about this with her twelve-year-old. But she couldn’t hide it from her. She’d been through hell, and she wanted to be as honest as she could be. Wanted to respect her need for answers.
“No.”
“I overheard the detectives talking about it. They said he was stabbed. In the heart. That it happened when everyone tackled him but they don’t know who did it.”
Every time Addison thought about that day, it made her feel sick, but Ellory was growing up quickly. It was her right to know about the man who’d tried to kill her, the man who’d shot Ricky.
“That’s true. Somehow, when the guys were trying to disarm him, he was stabbed.”
“I’m glad,” Ellory said bluntly. “I know that probably makes me a horrible person, but I don’t care.”
“It doesn’t make you a horrible person, it makes you human. He wasn’t a good man. He did very bad things, all in the name of money.”
“He shot Ricky.”
“Yeah.”
“He was aiming forme.”
Addison didn’t agree. Even if it was true, she couldn’t bring herself to admit it.
“He wasn’t even beat up or anything. Just had a knife sticking out of his chest, right over his heart. Those SEALs…they’re pretty badass,” Ellory said.
“Yeah, they are.” Nowthatwas something Addison could agree with.
“Mom?”
“Yeah, sweetie?”
“I love you. I think you’re pretty cool.”
That was high praise coming from a preteen. She was wrong, Addison wasn’t cool at all, but she wasn’t going to contradict her daughter. “I love you too, and I think you’re pretty cool yourself.”
Ellory rolled her eyes yet again. “I’m not. But I don’t care. I am who I am. Crohn’s patient, nerd, theater geek, and Little Mac.”
“Yeah.” The stupid tears were back.
“Seriously, Mom? You’resohormonal.”
Addison frowned. Shehadbeen crying more than normal lately. It was true, her daughters had been through something horribly traumatic, but still…
Could it be because she was pregnant?
She had no idea, and as much as she wanted a baby with Ricky, things were so darn chaotic right now. It wasn’t the best time. But then again, wasanytime ever going to be the “best time?” Things with the kids would only get busier as they grew up. And she wanted Ellory to have some time with her new little brother or sister…didn’t want to wait until she’d gone off to college before having a baby.
“Mom? You okay?”
“I’m okay,” Addison reassured her. “Just thinking.”
“I’m ready to go back to school,” Ellory said, seemingly out of the blue.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. What happened sucked, and I learned my lesson. Never go with anyone who isn’t on the official pick-up list. Which now includes many more people,” Ellory said with a laugh.
It was true. She and Ricky had added his entire SEAL team, all their women, Wolf, Caroline, and even Julie and Patrick Hurt.
“I told you before, it’s your decision on when to go back. I know you’ve been keeping up with your schoolwork.”
