Chapter 2 I dodged to the side and she missed completely, fury flashing in her eyes. She whipped around to face Zander. "Are you just gonna stand there?!" "Get over here and help me!" When she moved to grab me again, Zander quickly stepped between us. "Okay, okay, we've gone too far. Let's just go." He turned to me with pleading eyes. "Sage! Don't be mad. We're leaving right now!" But Vivian wasn't having it. "Leave? Hell no! She's just some widow-what's she gonna do to us?" That's when her gaze landed on the toy cabinet in the corner, where an exquisite music box sat displayed. It was a gift from Chloe's grandfather for her sixth birthday-he'd brought it all the way from Switzerland. "Now that's pretty nice." She click-clacked over in her heels and reached for it. "No!" Chloe broke free from my arms and ran to protect her music box. "That's mine!" Vivian shoved her away impatiently. "Greedy little thing, just like your mother." Chloe went flying backward, the back of her head slamming hard into the corner of the coffee table. Her piercing screams filled the entire living room. "Chloe!" I rushed over and scooped up my daughter, seeing a large bump already forming where blood was starting to seep through. Vivian just stood there rolling her eyes. "Oh please, what a little drama queen. I barely touched her..." gently set my daughter down and grabbed the glass vase from the coffee table. "Sage, what are you doing?!" Zander finally snapped to attention and tried to stop me. CRASH! The vase whizzed past Vivian's ear and shattered against the wall, glass shards flying everywhere. She screamed and covered her ears as blood trickled between her fingers. "Get out." My voice was ice-cold. "Right now." Zander went pale, "Sage, just calm down..." "GET OUT!" I grabbed the second vase. "Or next time I'm aiming for your faces!" Vivian finally got scared, dragging Zander toward the door. "Psycho! Your whole family is insane!" I locked the door behind them and examined Chloe's wound, holding her as she whimpered. My phone buzzed with a text from Zander: [You really disappointed me today. I get that Chloe doesn't know better, but why are you acting out too?] Looking at my daughter's bleeding head, I clenched my jaw and blocked his number. Zander Cross, if you're so desperate to play dead, then I'll make sure you stay that way! Chapter On the way to the hospital, I dialed a number I hadn't called in ages. "Hey Smith, Zander's big brother still owes you guys money, right?" A low chuckle came through the phone: "That bastard disappeared without a trace! Three hundred seventy grand with interest. What's up, Mrs. Cross-you planning to pay up for him?" "No, but I can help you find him."