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“Okay. Then when?” Brinley grabbed the plates from the cabinet and put them onto the counter, even though Savannah hadn’t asked for them.

“It’s probably going to be a while.”

“Next week?”

Savannah wanted to growl and groan, but she held it back, thankfully. The last thing Brinley needed was to think that Savannah was mad at her. “I don’t think Fallon will be up for coming next week.”

“Is she on a trip?” Brinley grabbed forks from the drawer.

“No, I don’t think she’s on a trip.”

The forks rattled on the plate. Brinley stilled, and it scared Savannah. She was never that quiet. “Is she mad at me?”

“What? No, baby, not at all.” Savannah immediately bent down to look into Brinley’s eyes. “Fallon and I had… a disagreement.” She’d almost said an argument, but that would set Brinley off in another direction. “And we’re just trying to work through that before she comes over.”Or doesn’t come over.Savannah didn’t add that last bit.

“What did you disagree about?”

Savannah bit the inside of her cheek. This was the last thing that she wanted to talk to Brinley about. Rolling her shoulders, Savannah took the food off the stove and plated their dinner. Shehanded Brinley her plate and shooed her off to the living room to eat in front of the television. It might buy her a few minutes, but that’s all she’d get.

Her phone buzzed again, loudly this time, vibrating against the countertop. Savannah reached over and immediately put the phone ondo not disturb. If Kyla needed to get hold of her, then it would come through, or her parents. But she didn’t need to be looking at the calls and texts from Forrest for the rest of the night. It was clear Brinley needed her attention, and she needed to sit down and explain what was about to happen to her daughter.

Again.

Savannah sat heavily on the couch next to Brinley but then relaxed. She could do this. Lowering the volume on the television, she took one small bite of her dinner before she started. “Your dad is calling because he’s upset with me.”

Brinley frowned.

“I’m taking him back to court,” Savannah said slowly.

“What?”

“Some things have happened, Brin, some that you’re aware of and others you’re not, and I need to know that you’re safe and that you have a good home to grow up in.”

“But he’s my dad.” Brinley’s eyes widened, water filling them. “You’re trying to take me away from him.”

“I’m not.” Except she was, at least to an extent. She didn’t want him to have such unlimited access. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“From Dad?” Brinley nearly screeched. “He told me you’d do this. He said you’d take me away.”

“Fuck,” Savannah said under her breath. She should have known better. She should have guessed that Forrest was feeding Brinley stories and lies. “I’m not taking you away, and I’llnever force you to not see your dad so long as he treats you respectfully.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know you don’t.” Savannah scratched the back of her head. “Do you remember the other month, when Dad brought you home and Fallon was here? Some of the things he said?”

Brinley nodded, her lips pressed together, and she wouldn’t look at Savannah.

“Those types of things are what I’m talking about. Or when he got mad because you were with Aunt Kyla and I was out at Saylor’s birthday party. It’s not okay for him to get upset by those things.” Those were the few moments Savannah was willing to mention, and they weren’t even half as bad as what Forrest had texted or done in private just between the two of them.

“So you want to keep me all to yourself.”

“Ideally, I would love for your dad and me to be able to communicate and raise you together. But that’s not always possible, and I’ve made the incredibly hard decision that what you need is to be here, where you’re safer, where you’re protected.”

“But dad won’t hurt me.”

Savannah bit her tongue hard, because as much as Brinley might believe that, Savannah deeply disagreed with it. Forrest had already hurt both of them, and she was afraid it would continue.

“I know you believe that,” Savannah finally answered. “And I’m so sorry that I have to do something that’s going to upset you.”