Chapter 1

That evening my husband told me the whole family was going away for the summer to escape the heat.

He said his parents would bring our daughter along, and the two of us would have some time to ourselves first.

But once we got there, my mother-in-law laid it all out.

"Nothing we can do. Somebody has to watch the house."

And so my eight-year-old daughter was left home alone.

But Murray's older sister, his younger sister, and all their kids had come along too.

I looked at my husband. I didn't understand.

"Why leave my daughter behind and not your sisters' kids?"

He explained, guilty about it.

"This way you can tutor them without worrying about anything."

So the trip was a lie. The truth was, I was their free tutor.

I turned away and made a call.

"Mom, when the old place gets its property settlement, I want one of the units. I'm bringing Emma Abbott back to live there tomorrow!"

From the day I married in.

Workdays, holidays, it never mattered.

His parents kept bringing the three grandkids over for me to tutor.

Now I was taking my daughter and going home to my parents.

Whoever wanted to teach those kids could teach them.

I was done waiting on them.

1. After I hung up, I was shaking all over.

I still hadn't pulled myself together when Murray's older sister pushed the door open.

She had Aiden by the hand.

The younger sister's two sons trailed behind her.

All three kids had backpacks on.

They'd clearly come ready.

"Nat, we've got facials booked, so the three of them are yours for the day."

"Their summer homework isn't finished, perfect timing. You go over it with them."

With that, she shoved the kids toward me.

I gripped my phone and told her, "Emma's home alone. I'm not comfortable with that."

Murray's older sister clicked her tongue.

"What's there to be uncomfortable about?"

"I already worked it out with Murray, and he agreed."

I turned to look at my husband.

He was slouched on the couch, scrolling his phone.

"So before we came, how much else did you keep from me?"

He glanced up at me.

"There's nothing planned today anyway, just help out and watch them."

"It's not a big deal."

I took a deep breath. "And our daughter?"

"You're really going to just leave her home by herself?"

My husband answered like it was obvious.

"Emma's so well-behaved, what could happen?"

"It's a good chance for her to learn some independence."

I laughed.

The kind that came out loud.

How could he say it like that, like it was the most natural thing in the world?

That was the daughter I carried for ten months and gave birth to.

She was only eight this year.

A year younger than Aiden.

I stared into his eyes and asked.

"She's your own flesh and blood. You're really that fine with it?"

My husband got uneasy under my stare and looked away.

"The neighbors will help keep an eye on her."

"You keep harping on this. What's the point?"

Murray's older sister chimed in from the side.

"Right, you're blowing this way out of proportion."

"Didn't we all grow up the same way?"

I ignored her and stared straight at my husband.

His throat moved, but he said nothing.

Murray's older sister got impatient.

"Well, is it a yes or a no? I'm going to be late."

"Murray promised me."

"You're not going to make him go back on his word, are you?"

I answered her coldly.

"If he promised, get him to watch them."

"I didn't promise anything."

Murray's older sister froze for a second, then her face fell.

"What's with the attitude?"

"Family helping each other out, what's wrong with that?"

"It's just checking some homework. They're not going to eat you."

I asked her, "When you all worked this out, did anyone ask me?"

Murray's older sister shrugged.

"That's not my problem. I settled it with Murray."

"You've got a complaint, take it up with him."

She paused, then added one more thing.

"You're the top graduate from that fancy university, after all."

"Who else would we ask? Count on Murray with his little diploma?"

She said it with such a straight face.

Like the fact that I'd gotten an education meant I owed them free labor.

Every other day they'd show up at my door. I put up with it.

Weekends they'd bring the kids over to sponge off my tutoring. I put up with that too.

But this time.

They dumped my daughter home alone.

Just so I'd be free to watch their kids?

This time I couldn't put up with it.

Murray's older sister was still going on and on.

"Aiden adores you. He talks about how good his aunt's lessons are every single day."

"Just think of it as doing the kids a favor."

"We're not strangers."

I turned and started packing.

My husband's face changed. He planted himself in front of me.

"Come on, don't make a scene."

I ignored him and kept stuffing clothes into the suitcase.

He grabbed the suitcase.

"You don't help watch the kids, you're not going anywhere today!"

I looked at him, done, and stopped what I was doing.

"Murray Fox, is your heart made of iron?"

He didn't answer.

I kept going.

"Ever since their kids started school, workday or day off, it never mattered."

"Your parents drag the three grandkids over here every few days."

"They say they're coming to visit."

"But when has it ever been anything but using me as a tutor?"

"A real tutor charges by the lesson."

"But your family, why pay when you can get it free, right?"

My husband's face went red. His pride couldn't take it.

"Don't be so nasty about it."

"My sister's standing right there in the doorway."

I laughed. "So you do know it's embarrassing?"

"If anything happens to Emma, I'll take your whole family down with me!"

My husband muttered under his breath.

"Mr. Lambert next door is keeping an eye out, what could possibly happen…"

Murray's older sister sneered from the doorway.

"Some people are just impossible."

"Petty and selfish."

There was only one thing I could never stay calm about, and that was my daughter.

None of them showed any sign of getting out of my way.

I unzipped my bag and pulled out a pair of scissors.

I pointed the tip at them and warned them, cold.

"Don't push me."