Muff walks closer, and his eyes scan the entire yard. It could just be a note from a deliveryman? Right? He reaches forward and clutches the note, staring down at it. His back goes rigid, and his hands begin to shake. He spins around, glaring into the darkness, as if waiting for someone to just pop out. He stares for a long moment, and my chest begins to seize—then he spins on me. “You got a problem, Janine?”

What?

I shake my head, confused.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

“I said, do you have a fucking problem you’re not sharing with me?”

I shake my head, still stumped. “Muff, what are you talking about?”

He thrusts the note at me, and I catch it in my hands. I peer down at it, and I shiver. Oh. No.

You’re husband owes us. He’s dead. Now you owe us. Three days, Janine. Watch your back.

I tremble, and crush the note in my fist. I knew there were debts to clear up, and I’d been trying to get on top of them, but I didn’t realize it was so bad. Okay, that’s a lie, I knew the people after the money would come looking eventually. I didn’t want to involve Muff; I just wanted a nice Christmas with my new family before having to deal with what lays ahead.

“Now, I’ll ask you again, is there something you want to tell me?” Muff barks.

I drop my head, and my eyes well with tears. “He had a lot of debts. I’ve been trying to deal with them...”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Muff says, softer this time. He lifts my chin, forcing me to look at him.

“I just wanted to have a nice Christmas. After, I was going to sort it out.”

“You haven’t got that kind of money, Jaybird.”

“I would have found a way,” I whisper.

“You’re in danger. Do you understand that?”

“Ebony!” I suddenly screech.

Muff grips my shoulders. “Let’s ring your mom, make sure they’re okay. Most people like that won’t touch a child. It’s you they’ll come after.”

I reach into my purse, fumbling with my phone and pulling it out. I ring my mom. She answers on the second ring.

“Janine, honey, she’s fine.”

My body slumps. “I...I...I was just checking up on her, I miss her.”

“She’s sleeping. She had a great day.”

“I’m glad,” I whisper.

“Is everything okay, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, sure. I just wanted to check in. Addison has come down to the hospital, she’s bleeding.”

“Oh no, that’s awful. Is it the baby?”

“We think so.”

“Give her my best.”

“Okay Mom, I’ll go now, just wanted to check in.”

“We’re all okay here.”

“I love you.”

“You too, honey.”

I hang up the phone, and lift my eyes to Muff.

“What do I do?”

“Leave it with me, I’ll get the guys on it. Do you know who is chasing the money?”

“I have a fair idea,” I say, wrapping my arms around myself and rubbing my arms.

“We’ll get the details. Let’s get Addison’s stuff, and get out of here. It’s not safe right now.”

I nod, and we both go inside the house. Muff goes first, finding Jackson’s gun, and checking the house before letting me collect Addison’s things.

The entire ride to the hospital is quiet. I know he’s angry and a little hurt that I didn’t tell him, but I honestly didn’t think there was a reason to. I’d thought I was sorting it out. I guess I wasn’t.

As soon as we arrive at the hospital we see all the guys and girls outside still, sitting, waiting, supporting their friends inside. We get out of the car, and Muff walks over to Jackson, leaning in close and whispering something into his ear. Jackson looks over to me and then down to the note Muff hands him. Soon, Spike is joining in, and they’re all talking. Jackson pulls out a phone and walks off into the darkness.

“What’s happening?” Ciara asks, walking over to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “Are you okay, J?”

“There...there was a note on the door when we got home.”

“A note?”

“Is everything okay?” Serenity asks, joining us.

“J said there was a note on the door when they got home.”

Serenity’s eyes widen. “A note?”

“It was from someone who is chasing money from me. There are debts outstanding, and I’m meant to be paying them.”

Serenity’s eyes widen. “Why didn’t you tell me, J? I would have helped.”

“I thought I had it covered,” I whisper, feeling my eyes burn.

“What did the note say?” Ciara asks, squeezing my shoulders.

“It basically threatened me, and said I had three days.”

“We’ll sort it,” Serenity says, rubbing my shoulders. “It’s going to be okay.”

“I hate him,” I whisper. “I hate him for leaving me in this position.”

“It is kind of my fault you’re in this position.” Serenity sighs.

I shake my head at her. “No, honey, it’s not. We both deserved freedom. I just had an asshole of a husband that left his problems behind.”

Serenity nods, but I know she feels bad. Hogan was her dad, and somehow she finds a way to blame herself for everything that went down.