Page 172 of Broken
“How ‘bout tomorrow when it’s light outside?” Prescott asked.
Ethan stomped his foot. “I want to playnow.”
“I’m sorry,” she said to Prescott.
“Hey, bud.” Prescott held up one of the books. “Let’s take it down a few.”
As Ethan continued having his tantrum, Prescott said, “A book or you go right to bed. Your choice.”
Ethan took the book and flung it on the floor. “I want to play.”
“Tomorrow.” Prescott’s tone had become stern.
Ethan picked up the book and walked over to Jacqueline. “Will you read this to me, please?”
She didnotwant to get in the middle of this very classic triangulation, so she slid her gaze to Prescott.
“Ethan, we can disagree, but we always—always—have to be kind to each other,” Prescott explained. “Do you understand?”
Ethan went to Prescott. “Okay.”
“Thank you, Ethan. You did a good job calming down.”
“Can you let Jack read me my new book?” Ethan asked.
Prescott bit back a smile. “That’s up to Jack.”
Ethan grinned at her.
“I would love to read to you, Ethan,” Jacqueline offered.
She and Ethan sat together on the sofa, while Prescott sat on the floor with Loki. When she finished reading the picture book, she locked eyes with Prescott.
And her entire world fell into place.
When she’d come back to the area, she had no idea what to expect. Even in her wildest dreams, she never imagined falling head over heels in love with a man and his child.
This was where she was supposed to be. With the one man she’d hated with a vengeance. The one man who’d captured her body, her heart… and her soul.
She was his for as long as he would have her.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING,Prescott parked in the members-only yacht club lot. As Jaqueline eyed the massive vessels in their slips, there was no question she’d stepped into the lap of luxury. If his estate wasn’t convincing enough, these boats certainly were.
Last night, after Ethan had gone to sleep, she’d told him that taking a day off felt like she was letting ALPHA down.
“They’re counting on me—on us—to find the killer so they can resume their lives,” she said.
“We deserveoneday, so does Ethan,” he’d pushed back. “There’s no way I’m leaving you home alone, not after the shit that went down yesterday.”
So, she decided to make the most of the day, then burn the midnight oil when they got back.
“Loki, heel,” she said, keeping his leash taut. “Good boy.”
“I’m in the boat slip at the end,” Prescott said.
As they made their way down, a man and a woman stepped from a yacht onto the pier.
“It’s Nana and Papa!”
