"Don''t you dare hug her!"


    Robbie''s wails only got louder when Reese ignored him. He threw himself at her, grabbing her shirt and kicking his feet. "You''re my mom! You can only hug me!"


    "Quiet."


    Reese''s headache wasing on strong. She red at Robbie, then turned to Annie.


    "Annie, sweetheart, can you tell Auntie what happened?"


    Annie stared down at her twisting fingers, silent for a long moment. Finally, she whispered, "When I woke up and saw Auntie was still sleeping, I went out to draw."


    "He came over and took my crayons. He wouldn''t give them back, and he started drawing all over the walls. I told him not to, but he said this was his mom''s house and he could do whatever he wanted. Then he..."


    Her voice trembled and she looked like she was about to cry. "He got scissors and cut my dress. He lifted up my skirt, so I pushed him away. I didn''t mean to push him that hard. I didn''t think he''d fall."


    "Auntie, can you please not kick me out? Could you call my dad and let him pick me up?"


    Her voice was so soft and every word came with a tear.


    "I''m not sending you anywhere," Reese said, her heart breaking. She gently wiped Annie''s cheeks and pulled her in for a hug. "No one can make you leave, okay? You''re safe here."


    Robbie immediately lost it again. "Mom, she''s lying! She did all the drawing! She''s a liar!"


    Reese''s patience snapped.


    She looked down at her son, still throwing a tantrum on the floor, and realized how Jane had spoiled him rotten.


    "Robbie.” Her voice was sharp and cold. "Clean up this mess. Or I''ll call your dad and have him pick you up right now."


    Robbie hupped mid-cry. Seeing Reese meant it, he finally got up off the floor, sniffling.


    Reese ignored him, went to the closet, and grabbed a white cardigan. She slipped it over Annie''s shoulders to cover the ruined dress. "Let''s go buy you a new dress."


    Annie wrapped her arms tight around Reese''s neck, burying her face in her shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered.


    Half an hourter, they came back to the apartment with a new dress in hand.


    As soon as they stepped off the elevator, Reese stopped cold. The apartment door was busted open, hanging ajar, She could hear angry voices inside and caught the glint of police uniforms.


    and caght


    Her heart skipped a beat-Robbie was still inside. She pulled Annie close and pushed the door open.


    In the living room, Jane was sitting on the couch, holding Robbie and dabbing at his tears. When she saw Reese, she jumped up, pointing her finger right in Reese''s face.


    "Reese, what kind of heartless mother are you?


    "Sebastian trusted you to watch his son, and you left him home alone!


    "If you didn''t want to take care of him, why even let Sebastian bring him here? This is child abuse!


    "Roman, what are you doing just standing there? Arrest her! Lock her up! I''m pressing charges!"


    "Jane..." Roman looked exhausted as he turned to Reese. "Ms. Meyer, can you exin?"


    That''s when Reese realized the cop in the room was Roman-Jane''s nephew, part of the Sanchez family.


    "I was only out for half an hour. There are cameras in the apartment. I was watching the whole time. He was safe."


    "Liar!" Robbie shrieked, squirming in


    all


    Jane''s arms. "She locked me up morning! She made me cat instant noodles! She yelled at me! She let that stupid girl hit me!"


    Reese frowned. When did Robbie be such a little storyteller?


    "That''s not true!" Annie stepped forward, fierce and protective. "You cut my dress. She only took me out because of that..."


    "And who do you think you are?" Jane cut her off, her voice sharp as a knife. "Is this your ce to speak? Where''s your mother? Didn''t she teach you any manners?"


    Reese remembered what Matthew had told her. Annie''s mom died on the battlefield. That was it. Her anger boiled over.


    She stared Jane down, her voice icy. "Oh, and your darling grandson is so well-behaved right? Cutting up a little girl''s dress and lifting her skirt? That''s your idea of manners?"


    Jane''s face turned dark red. She raised her hand, aiming to p Reese. "I''m your


    mother-inw! How dare you speak to me like that?"


    "Enough!"


    A strong, steady hand shot out from behind and grabbed Jane''s wrist, stopping


    her cold.