Let Them In (Book 3.0) -INTERSEX

Chapter 8

Faith

The sound of muffled crying from the other room jerks me awake. My heart pounding, I leap out of bed to check on my son. As I rush into his room, surrounded in the gentle glow of the early morning sun, the frigid wooden floor sends a chill down my spine. George stands there, holding Grayson, who is clearly distressed. It's a surprise to see him, as he wasn't supposed to be home until tonight. I take Grayson into my arms, and his crying subsides, sensing the familiarity of his mother's embrace.

Together, we enter the warm, dimly lit kitchen where the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg lingers from last night's baking. I place Grayson in his highchair and start to prepare his breakfast before his daycare visit.

"What did you do to my son? Why doesn't he like me holding him?" George yells; his face flushed with anger.

Lord, it's too early for this mess. "Maybe if you spent more time with him, he'd know who you are!" I retort; my voice laced with frustration.

In a sudden fit of rage, George grabs my neck, pinning me against the fridge. "Bitch, that is my son, and if..."

Before he can finish, he is yanked away from me and placed in a chokehold by Teagan. I had almost forgotten she was still here. At 6'3, she towers over me, her powerful arms easily overpowering George. His breathing grows labored, and his face turns an alarming shade of purple.

"Teagan, let him go. Not in front of Gray," I urge, rubbing her arm. She glances down at me, her dark, nearly black eyes filled with concern. After a brief hesitation, she releases her grip, and George crumples to the floor, gasping for air.

"You've got some nerve to put your hands on her, you piece of shit," Teagan growls. George had never done anything like this before. Our marriage was indeed on the verge of collapse, but that was because he was a cheating scumbag who treated my body with disdain after I gave birth to his child. Only Teagan made me feel at ease with my stretch marks and c-section scar.

Tears well up in my eyes as I gently touch the tender area on my neck where George had gripped me. "Are you okay?" Teagan whispers; her voice full of worry.

I nod and carry Grayson's food to him, grateful that he hadn't witnessed the altercation. While I know it's unlikely that he would remember the incident, Teagan had shared stories of her own traumatic childhood memories. I am determined not to expose my son to such a toxic environment.

When I return to the kitchen, George is slowly getting to his feet, his expression a mixture of pain and fury. Teagan glares at him; her eyes filled with danger. As I stand near her, my back to George, I discreetly run my fingers along her hand, giving her a reassuring touch. "I've got this. Go get ready for school," I whisper softly, just loud enough for her to hear.

Teagan nods, bumping her shoulder against George's as she passes him. "Try some crap like that again, and I'll personally end you," she warns, her voice laced with venom.

Despite the circumstances, I can't help but feel a little aroused by Teagan's protectiveness. I try to focus on breakfast, retrieving bacon and eggs from the fridge and preheating the oven for biscuits. The enticing aroma of sizzling bacon fills the kitchen as I attempt to ignore George's presence and seething anger.

"I'm sorry, Faith, I don't know what came over me," George says, approaching me with a hint of remorse in his voice.

I deftly sidestep him and continue to gather the ingredients for Teagan's and my breakfast. "It won't happen again." They all say that before beating you senseless until you don't have a pulse.

"Sure as hell won't," I reply, sliding the biscuits into the oven.

"What does that mean?" George demands, his eyes narrowing.