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193 Devil On My Doorstep
(Winona)
| pace around the living room, trying to make sense of everything that went down last night. A wonderfully
romantic date night marred by my past.
Jayden going all bad-ass on Steve was... something. Part ofwas stoked to see it, but another part of me, the
part that's lived with Steve's shadow and dark legacy, is scared.
I'm scared Steve will retaliate big time. No, more than scared-I'm fucking terrified.
Steve's here, and that's not just a problem you can punch away.
| grab my phone, contemplating the idea of a no-contact order. Jayden's setting one up against Judy, so | could
get one against Steve too. But the thing is, Steve doesn't play by the rules. Never has, never will. The law's just a
step by step guide to breaking the rules to him, a joke. He's always found a way to slip through the cracks, to do
what he wants, when he wants. And that's what terrifiesthe most.
Jayden called earlier, and said he had to fly out for business last night. But he has his best security on the house,
on the school and on the café where Cass is working. Just don't go anywhere other than these areas for now.
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But he's dealing with the Steve situation as soon as he gets the no contact order through for the baby. Then his
own. He wanted to talk later about how that looks concerning Abby but right now, he had to run. Didn't say
where he was going, didn't say why. | didn't ask actually. I'm guessing it's legal stuff around the baby's safety
until it's born. Keeping Ashlyn's mental health stable by keeping Judy away from her will help out there. Mom's
sitting quietly in the kitchen, sipping her tea like it's her last lifeline. | told her about Steve being back this
morning. The moment the words left my mouth, she went pale. The life sucked right out of her. She's been frail,
but now she's more fragile somehow. She didn't say a word.
I walk back into the kitchen.
"Do you think he'll chere?" she asks, her voice a shaky whisper, like she's afraid saying it too loud will make
him appear.
"I don't know, Mom," | say, trying to sound more confident than | feel. "After Jayden's warning last night, maybe
he's smart enough to stay away."
Mom doesn't look convinced. Hell, | don't even convince myself.
"He's not going to stop," she says, her voice trembling. "When he left, he said he'd be back. He promised he'd
make us pay for ruining his life. He always kept his promises, Winona. Always."
She's right, and that's what keepson edge. Steve's not the kind to let things go. He's a vengeful bastard, and
now, with the three of us back together - which was ultimately his doing we could be sitting ducks. It feels like
he's setting up for stwisted reunion, something awful.
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193 Devil On My Doorstep
Mom's face goes even paler-if that's possible. "I'm going to lie down," she says, barely above a whisper.
| nod, watching her shuffle off to her room. | should be doing something, planning, making sure we're safe. But
instead, I'm just standing here, frozen.
| pull out my phone and scroll through my contacts, stopping on Gordon Brown's name. A no-contact order might
help Mom's peace of mind, give us slegal backing if Steve tries anything.
But then again, what good is a piece of paper against a man like Steve? He's never respected the law, not when |
was a kid, and certainly not now. Steve is a law unto himself.
| put the phone down on the counter, frustrated. This isn't something | can solve with a phone call. Steve doesn't
care about rules or orders. He cares about power, about control. And he's always had both over
1. me.
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Even now, years later, just the thought of him givesanxiety attacks. Gus sent him away, threatened him with
death if he cback. What good did that do? Even a million dollars wasn't enough to stop him. Cass is on her
first shift at the café. It's her first taste of freedom, and | don't want to take that away from her by dumping all
this on her. I'm taking Mom and Abby to the café after school so Cass can serve us. She asked if I'd cfor a
look.
| want to support her as much as | can.
But making her scared about Steve is not something I'm going to do. She'll be nervous enough about working.
Nervous about fitting in, | guess. | know that feeling all too well for a very different reason to my little sister. Cass
has multiple piercings, dresses in baggy black clothing and boots. | wonder if she'll have a uniform 'code to
follow?
That might be interesting. She's tiny like me, even shorter in fact. So, | don't know why she wears clothes ten
times too big for her. Must be a generational thing.
A knock on the door snapsout of my thoughts. My heart jumps into my throat. For a second, I'm convinced
it's Steve, back to finish what he started. My hands tremble as | reach for the doorknob, ready for anything. |
swing the door open, and my heart plummets. Standing there are Gus and Judy.
"Surprise," Judy says with a sweet smile that makes my skin crawl.
The devil is on my doorstep again.
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