Chapter 76

• "Annabelle,” she scolds sternly, “there are no buts here … you can’t use your fists to fix problems.”
• “I know, but I tried to tell Ms. McAdams when they started pushing and shoving, and she wouldn’t listen to me.” She can see another tear threaten to fall from his thick lashes. “Well then, I’m going to make an appointment to speak with her and Baldwin about this.” Her head whips up, and her eyes are wide open in fear. “I’m not going to make it worse, Aiden. I’m just going to ask them to keep their eyes open a little more. To make sure that they do not allow the circumstances to arise for this to happen again. I’ll make sure that the other kids don’t know, Aiden, but I need to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.” She nods her head, a noncommittal grunt. “Am I in trouble?” He looks up at her from beneath lashes spiked wet from tears with trepidation in eyes. She wraps both her arms around him and squeezes his little body that’s known so much hurt and abandonment in its short time. She holds him to her, trying to reassure him and let him know that it’s okay. That getting in trouble doesn’t mean a severe beating and food withheld for days, as he’s known in the past. “Yeah, bud, you are … but I think that icky feeling you have might just be the worst of it.” She feels his shoulders sag in relief as a plan forms in her head.
• “I knew you couldn’t stay away from me for long.” Nicholas’s resonant voice fills the other end of the telephone line, arrogance redefined. His sexy voice alone makes her pulse race, but she has to put how she feels aside as she puts her plan to help restore Aiden’s self-confidence and self-image at school into motion.