Dangerous Rescue - Linzi Baxter Page 0,51

had so many questions running through her mind. She hadn’t had time to digest her feelings about having sex with Hudson. God, the sex was so good. Then there was the fact her ex had been kidnapping kids for ransom. She’d never asked why he had so many conferences. I was an idiot, and it was my fault those kids were taken. If only I’d asked more questions…

She walked into the kitchen, and Kaiden was over the stove, stirring something. It smelled like onions and garlic, two of her favorite things. Her stomach growled. Her meal from a couple of hours earlier had been interrupted when she and Hudson had sex.

“Hey, why do you look like someone kicked your puppy?” Kaiden asked before putting the chicken in the pan.

Siena had years of experience hiding her emotions, one of the talents she acquired from being a model. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t have a puppy.”

“My uncle can act like one sometimes. Don’t think I didn’t notice you mask your features. I lived with a SEAL for years, and he’s taught me a few things. So, spill it, Miss Davenport.”

“Siena.” She scrunched her nose. “It feels strange for you to call me Miss Davenport when I’m in your kitchen and you’re cooking for me.”

“Okay, Siena,” Kaiden said, sounding more like Hudson than the teenager she was used to dealing with. “But you still haven’t answered my question. Persistence is a trait I got from my mother—even though she’s been gone a few years.”

“I’m sorry. At the private school, we knew each of the parents. The public school, all they care about is the average of the test scores. Don’t get me wrong—the private school, all they worry about is the amount of money in each parent's bank account.”

“Hudson has done an amazing job. When my parents passed, he came in and took over. Yes, it sucks that I lost them. I would do anything to spend a few more minutes with my mother or throw the football with my dad one more time. But those are things I can’t get back. I’m not saying any of this for sympathy—more for you to think about. I love my cousin, and I think Hudson was an idiot for how he handled things. Life is short, and holding grudges isn’t going to make things better.”

“I think you were also there for Hudson over the years. You both needed each other,” Siena said. Her emotions were all over the place. What Kaiden said made sense, but she wasn’t going to pour her feelings out to a teenager. “What are you making?” She jerked her head toward the pot. Food was something she could talk about.

Kaiden narrowed his eyes. “It’s a creamy chicken dish with spinach and bacon. My mom used to always make it.”

“Your mom sounds amazing.”

“She was.” Hudson walked into the room, holding Mia on his shoulders. The girl squealed as he pulled her down and put her on the counter. “If you weren’t so good in school, I would think you would become a chef,” Hudson mumbled before dipping a spoon in the cream sauce on the stove.

“Hey.” Kaiden slapped Hudson’s hand. “You need to wait like everyone else. I’ve thought about opening a restaurant. Since you won’t be alone, I’ve started researching schools, and there’s this excellent one in France. Maybe Siena can help me find some scholarships. It’s really expensive.”

“Kaiden.” Hudson sighed. “You don’t need to keep worrying about money. This house is yours, along with an enormous trust fund. I’ve told you not to worry. Your parents put tons of money away, and I never touched it, so I’m positive your trust will be more than enough for college. But if Siena wants, she can still help you find a few scholarships.”

Kaiden blinked a couple of times before throwing his arms around Hudson. Siena had to look away from the tender moment.

“I want a hug,” Mia announced, breaking the spell. Kaiden turned and lifted her up into a hug and spun her around.

Kaiden turned back to Hudson. “I’ll look more into college with Siena’s help, but this house isn’t mine. It’s yours.” He held up his hand. “My mom would’ve wanted you to have it for taking care of me. As long as I have a room to come home to, that’s enough for me.”

“We’ll talk about that another day.”

Siena knew that was code for, “Not going to happen, kid.” For the next hour, they