Page 97 of Single Mom's Undoing

I watch as Carter rushes across the room toward us. He’s not alone either. Damon and Jace are with him. They’re all wearing vests and holstering their weapons as they approach us.

“Oh, God,” I whisper as it all sets in.

“You’re safe now,” Carter says, barely giving his father a glance as he takes Matty and me into his arms. My boy sobs, sandwiched between us, quivering against my chest. “You’re both safe.”

“Easy, Matty,” I say.

Carter kisses my forehead. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“Oh, Carter. I’m so sorry.”

“Momma,” Matty whimpers and tightens his hold around my neck.

“It’s okay, honey, breathe. Come on, easy now, we’re okay. See? I promised we’d be okay, and we are,” I do my best to soothe him, caressing his hair and showering him with warm kisses to avoid an asthma attack.

Slowly but surely, Matty recovers his steady breathing, relaxing in my arms while I melt against Carter’s hard body.

Soon enough, we’re joined by Jace and Damon, each of them hugging us and planting soft kisses on our cheeks, while the federal agents take those responsible into custody.

“I keep my promises to you, don’t I?” I ask as I look down at my son.

“You do, Momma.

I watchin silence as the scene unfolds.

A paramedic checks up on Matty and me, making sure we’re both okay, while another wraps Margot’s forearm with a bandage before taking her to the hospital to get stitches. A third handles Elizabeth, now cuffed to a gurney and also on her way to the emergency room.

“She was completely unhinged,” I mumble, leaning into Damon’s shoulder.

“I might have had something to do with that,” he replies. “But it had to be done. We had to come at Bill from every possible angle, and we were right to do so because we were able to have her followed here.”

“Then Margot confirmed that she’d found you and Matty,” Carter adds.

Relief washes over me as I watch Bill Lockwood and his henchmen escorted out in handcuffs.

“I want my lawyer,” Bill says to one of the agents.

“You’ll get your chance,” the agent replies, clearly unimpressed and eager to toss him in a jail cell.

I’m not one to rush to celebrate anyone’s life falling apart right before their eyes, but I am willing to make an exception for that man. After everything he’s done, after everything he was about to do, jail seems like an easy punishment for him.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Jace tells me. “You had us spooked, Clara.”

“I think I’m going to spend the rest of my life apologizing for that. I just…I couldn’t see another way out, not with Bill getting so close to me,” I reply. “I had my doubts, and I felt awful for running off again, but?—”

“You were scared,” Carter interjects. “And no matter how hard we tried to reassure you, it wasn’t enough. I get it, I do. My father has a way of getting to people, of hurting anyone he deems is even remotely out of line. I don’t blame you for doing things this way, Clara. I’m just happy we were able to get to you in time.”

Tears prick my eyes as I look up at him. “He was going to kill me, Carter, with Matty in my arms.”

“He was desperate, out of control,” he says. “I’m so sorry for everything he’s done to you, for all of the pain he’s caused.”

“It’s not exactly your fault,” I mumble, lowering my gaze.

“No, but I should’ve paid closer attention. Damon and Jace were right. We should’ve seen the signs regarding Margot and Stephan. Had we been more aware of what was going on there, maybe we could’ve asked better questions.” Carter sighs deeply.

I cup his cheek and smile softly. “We all have crossroads in our lives that we could’ve handled differently. By that same logic, I should’ve stayed five years ago. I didn’t. I should’ve stayed a few days ago, too, but I didn’t. God, I feel so foolish.”

“Had Bill not come after you, you probably would’ve gotten away from us this time,” Damon chuckles dryly.