She Can Kill (She Can Series) Read Online Free PDF

paused, her thoughts racing. Her location wasn’t any of Troy’s business. Their divorce was final, and he’d lost all rights to ask about her whereabouts the night he tossed her down a flight of stairs five months before. But she couldn’t make him angry while he was alone with three-year-old Emma and five-year-old Alex.
    She let out a frustrated, frightened breath. Before the judge had ruled in his favor last week, Sarah had refused to answer his calls. But the moment her two little girls had climbed into his truck that morning, she’d unblocked his number. He had control again, and he knew it.
    Her words tasted like defeat. “I was at work. Now I’m home.”
    “I don’t believe you.”
    Bandit growled up at her, as if he could sense the animosity in Troy’s tone.
    “You can hear the dog, Troy,” she said in a tired voice.
    “You were supposed to be home from work twenty minutes ago.” His voice rose.
    Conditioned to make peace, Sarah almost replied. Placating him had become a habit, and she wasn’t hiding anything. She’d stopped for milk. But she couldn’t let him drag her back into his control games. “Are the girls all right?”
    “Why wouldn’t they be?”
    “You aren’t supposed to call me unless it’s about the girls, and you’re ten minutes late.”
    “Maybe they just wanted to know where their mother is.” He had an answer for everything. He’d gotten clever when he’d sobered up. “Or maybe I wanted to make sure you were home before I drop them off.”
    In the silent moment that followed, she heard the faint voices of her daughters in the background. Her lungs expelled the breath she’d been holding. The girls were all right. “I have to take the dog out, Troy. I’ll see you soon.”
    Gathering her courage, Sarah pressed End. The phone wasn’t even in her pocket when it buzzed again. She glanced at the display to make sure it was Troy and let the call go to voicemail. Her gaze drifted over the interior of the small house. The 1980s oak and country-blue furnishings were dated, but she didn’t mind. She hadn’t wanted anything from the house she’d shared with Troy. Her sister’s fiancé, the local police chief, let her and the girls live in this little house rent-free. He’d insisted on installing an alarm, but she’d refused to allow him to renovate. He’d done more than enough. Her entire life had changed since she’d moved to this house. She had a job and her independence. Until today, her girls had been happy and safe. This was her haven, her sanctuary. It had taken Troy months of legal finagling to violate it. She’d gotten her swift divorce, but there was no way to sever her ties with him, not when they shared two children.
    Easing onto the boot bench by the door, she scooped the dog into her lap. He leaned into her, and she wrapped an arm around his sturdy little body. “What are we going to do?”
    She allowed herself two minutes of canine therapy before she set the dog on the floor and stood. “Come on. I’ll take you out to do your business before I call my lawyer.”
    She would not—could not—let Troy take control. Her lawyer wasn’t as useful as she’d hoped. Troy knew how to phrase his words so that without hearing his tone, his message could be interpreted innocently. But there was nothing innocent about anything Troy did.
    Back in the house, she took off her coat, unleashed the dog, and changed into jeans and a sweater. Then there was nothing to do but wait until Troy’s truck pulled to the curb fifteen minutes later. Standing on the back of the sofa, Bandit went ballistic. She’d wanted a little time with the girls before she had to leave for her self-defense class. No chance of that now. Her babysitter would be here any minute. By the time she settled the girls with Lucia, she’d have to leave. But she refused to show her irritation. A response of any kind would only encourage Troy.
    He sat in the truck for a few seconds, glaring at her through