The late afternoon sun dipped low in the sky, creating a pleasant warmth as Della busied herself in the kitchen. The chatter of birds filled the air through the screen door to the patio. The peaceful atmosphere was a stark contrast to the confrontation on the beach, and it helped calm her frayed nerves. She smiled as she remembered taking Jaden down. She was looking forward to telling Alexander about it.
The rest of the day had passed uneventfully, and she hadn't experienced the prickly feeling on her neck she always felt when she was being watched. She wasn't naive enough to think they had left, so she told Cori to keep an extra close eye on Jax. He was due home any minute.
Right on time, he burst through the front door, his backpack bouncing against his back, happy as always. "Mom! I'm home!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the house. Then he clapped his hand over his mouth, "sorry, I forgot Lily is usually napping when I get home."
