Page 113 of Scoring Eden

“Baby?” I whisper, crouching beside her trembling body and smoothing my hand over her hair. “What happened?”

“He took him.”

“What?”

“Sebastian.” She sniffs, curling even tighter in on herself. “He took Macon.”

My nails sink into the palms of my hands, dread stiffening my spine. “I don’t understand.”

“I was served the petition for sole custody, and, and, and…” She’s not breathing right. Each sharp breath is accompanied by a whimper of pain, as if there are serrated blades dragging up her throat. “And a motion…a motion…for an emergency temporary custody order.”

“I don’t… What does that mean?”

“It means he’s convinced a judge that Macon has to live with him until the official custody hearing.” She looks up at me then, and her eyes are so grief-stricken I have to force myself to hold them. “Because I’m neglectful.” Her forehead drops back to the floor with a silent scream. “Because I’m a danger to him.”

Blood surges to my head, making the world tilt. I drop to my ass on the tile and hug my head between my legs. “In what world are you a danger to him?”

“Because you’re paying me for sex work, and I moved my son into my client’s home.”

“WHAT?!”

She flinches.

Fuck. I shouldn’t have yelled—even though it wasn’t at her—especially when she’s like this, her cheek reddened from being pressed to the cold tile for so long, her eyes so red and puffy they look like they’re bleeding.

“He has my bank statements, Alex. And there are photos of us kissing all over the internet. He has pictures of my old apartment and written statements from witnesses, including that horrible woman who’s investing in your team. He’s using the fact that my old address was leaked to prove that I can’t keep Macon safe and that keeping him home from school that day is evidence that my lifestyle is affecting his education. He’s built a massive case on me, and what the fuck have I done?” She slaps the floor and roars, “NOTHING! I’ve done nothing!”

God, her words, her pain, is shattering me. And I’m so mad, so motherfucking furious with Sebastian for taking Eden’s desperation to keep her son and twisting it into something it isn’t. My fists are white-knuckled and twitching from the urge to punch something, but my anger isn’t going to fix this, and it certainly won’t help Eden.

“We’ll figure this out, baby.” I keep my voice soft, unfurling my fists so I can stroke circles across her back.

She releases a sob that erupts from the depths of her soul. “How?”

I don’t know.

“We’ll call the family law attorney I set you up with. She’ll have a plan.”

That’s all we can do for now. But Eden needs to get off this floor, or her bones will be aching for weeks, so I gently reach for her and pull her into my lap. Standing with her in my arms proves to be a little difficult, but it’s nothing I can’t handle, and cradling her like a baby, I carry her through to the bedroom and settle her beneath the covers.

“I’m gonna make you some tea.”

She latches onto my wrist before I can leave.

“Don’t go.”

“I won’t be gone long, baby.” I try to ease out of her grip, but she holds me tighter. “I just need you to drink something.”

She shakes her head, her gaze wild, her breathing beginning to pick up speed again. “Stay.”

“I—” I swing my gaze toward the door in conflict. She’s been crying for I don’t know how long. She needs sugar for the shock and water so she doesn’t dehydrate. I just want to look after her.

“Please.”

It’s that one rasp of a word that does me in. I nod, and she shifts over on the mattress to give me room to curl my body around hers. She sags into me immediately, her back to my front, her fingers clutching my wrists to keep me where I am.

“I’m going to fix this for you. And when it’s done, and Macon is back where he belongs, I’m going to destroy that bastard for making you hurt like this. I will ruin him, Eden. I swear it.” I keep my voice low and muffled against her hair, but it isn’t enough to stave off the edge of violence in my tone.

She laughs, but there’s nothing happy about the sound. “I love you for thinking you can.”