Free Pursuit: Blood Bandits MC by Cora Black

to my plans. Like she felt slighted. It amazed me that she could take it personally.
     
    “Eric’s been calling and texting for almost a week—ever since last Monday, after he came into the diner.”
     
    “Kara! You didn’t say anything?”
     
    “Mom, we just talked about this. I mean, he’s only calling and texting. No big deal.”
     
    “All right. What else?”
     
    “Well…I haven’t been to work since then.”
     
    “And you say no big deal? Kara. What do they think about this?”
     
    “Charlie understands. I mean, he was there when Eric came in. He knows what I’m up against. He would never fire me. Darlene and the other girls have been covering my shifts. Darlene even showed up here the other day with groceries. She knew I didn’t want to take the time to leave the apartment and walk around the store. She wouldn’t let me pay her back for them.” Again, I reminded myself to do something nice for her as soon as my situation turned around. If anybody ever deserved it, it was Darlene.
     
    “That’s good of them. I’m glad you have good people in your corner.” Her voice changed. “What about Emma? I guess this is why you haven’t needed me all week?”
     
    “Yeah, I was lying when I told you I kept her home because she didn’t feel well. I kept her home because I’m afraid to send her to school.” I cupped my hand around the phone, speaking low. “I’m pulling her from the school.”
     
    “Oh, honey. Do you think this is a good idea for her? She’s already been through so much. Her whole little world has shattered, you know? Away from her father, her home. Now her friends?”
     
    My jaw clenched and my nostrils flared as I breathed heavily. “You make it sound like this is all my fault. Like I decided to get up one day and ruin my kid’s life.”
     
    “I didn’t mean it that way. I just think you have to take her into consideration.”
     
    I let out a short, barking laugh. “What do you think I’ve been doing all this time? The reason I can’t send her to school is that I’m scared to death Eric’s going to show up and take her from me. I can’t let that happen.”
     
    “Kara, do you think he would stoop so low as to kidnap her? I mean, he doesn’t know where she goes to school.”
     
    “You always underestimated him,” I said, laughing bitterly. “Like he can’t find her in a heartbeat. Like he couldn’t call up one of his friends in the Department of Education. Like he couldn’t show up there, tell them he’s her father and watch as she ran to him. She misses him, Mom. She would go in a heartbeat. And nobody would stop him from taking her because Emma would tell them he was her daddy.” I laughed again. “Like I haven’t stayed up late at night just thinking about this over and over.”
     
    “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to underestimate him. I guess if anybody knows what he’s capable of, it’s you. And you’re sure that’s what he’s after?”
     
    “Mom, if I read some of these texts out to you, it would chill you to the bone. He talks about how he’s going to take his daughter from me no matter what. I won’t be able to do anything about it. I don’t have to wonder too hard about what that could possibly mean. I’m pretty sure he wants to kill me.”
     
    “Kara! Don’t even say that.”
     
    I shrugged. “It’s true. If it were between me and her, he’d kill me to get to her. I really believe he’s that obsessed. If only you could have heard the hatred in his voice in the only voicemail I listened to. I deleted the rest—I couldn’t bring myself to listen to another word of it. Believe me. He sounded capable of just about anything. He hates me now.”
     
    “Oh, honey. What do you need from me? I mean anything. I’ll do anything at all to help you.”
     
    I smiled. “I appreciate that. Maybe visit tomorrow? I know Emma would like that—she needs to see another face beside mine.”
     
    “I will. What about him, though? What are