Her face throbbed, and as she shifted she realized her hip did too. She hadn’t moved all night; that was why. She’d slept like the dead. Mercy sprawled like an angel beside her, sheets pushed away. Her long, blond eyelashes left little crescent moon shadows on her round cheeks, and her soft little mouth hung open as she breathed. Moving slowly, she brushed a finger down her daughter’s ivory cheek. The long restless day and semi-sleepless night had given her some perspective over the situation. Derek wasn’t going to stop trying to get Mercy. Neither was his mother. Unless something truly drastic happened, her ex was going to be an albatross around her neck for a long time to come. The thought made her want to cry. She forced herself out of bed, groaning. Every damn muscle in her body ached. Her head throbbed and her sprained arm pulsed with pain. Advil and coffee were at the top of her to-do list. Pausing at the bedroom door, she leaned her ear close but couldn’t hear anything.
