Arrogant Heir (The Heirs #2) - Michelle Heard Page 0,46
to Aunt Layla? My mind runs circles around all the possibilities. I don’t have any contact with my grandmother, but I know she served a sentence for almost murdering Fallon’s mom.
Figuring that must be it, I pull up the driveway and park behind my father’s car. I unclasp both our seatbelts, and getting out, I dart around the vehicle and open the passenger door for Mila.
After she’s out of the car, I take hold of her hand, and we walk into the mansion. “Mom,” I yell, so I’ll know where she is.
“In the sunroom,” Dad shouts. He comes out of the kitchen and smiles when he sees Mila with me. “Hi, Mila. How are you feeling?”
“Much better, Mr. Reyes.”
“Mom said she has something to tell us?” I ask as we walk with Dad to the sunroom. Last year, Mom converted the entertainment room into an indoor garden and replaced that part of the ceiling with glass. Since then, she spends all her free time there.
“Yes.” Dad doesn’t say anything else as we walk into the room.
A smile instantly forms around Mom’s lips when she sees us, and she gets up from the plush couch to hug me.
“You look pretty,” she compliments Mila, only giving her shoulder a squeeze.
“Jase, let's give the ladies some time alone,” Dad says.
What?
My eyes dart to Mila, and she quickly says, “I’ll be fine. Go catch up with your dad.”
Dad takes hold of my shoulder. “Come on.”
Letting go of Mila’s hand, I hesitate until Mom gives me a comforting smile. Walking out of the room, I glance back and watch as Mila sits down next to Mom.
I follow Dad to the living room, and he pours us each a tumbler of whiskey. “Let’s sit.”
I take the drink from Dad and sit down on the couch. When he takes the seat next to me, I start to frown.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” Dad begins. “First, you need to know we didn’t tell you because we felt it wasn’t something you needed to know.”
I take a deep sip from the amber liquid as my heartbeat begins to pick up its pace. I have a feeling whatever Dad’s about to tell me is bad.
Dad sets down his own glass before he turns his body toward me. His eyes scan over my face before he says, “While your mom attended Trinity, she was stalked by a serial killer.”
What. The. Actual. Fuck.
“She was what?” I snap, stunned to hell and back by what my father just said.
Dad shifts closer to me and places his hand on top of mine. “You need to know your mom is fine, son. We’ve kept it quiet so the media wouldn’t get involved. Only a handful of people know about this.”
“Hold up.” I pull my hand from under my father’s and frown at him. “Let’s go back to the part about the serial killer. What happened?”
“The man stalked your mother, and he managed to abduct her, but we got to her in time. That’s all you need to know.”
That’s all I need to know? Seriously?
“How can you say that?” I explode. “You can’t drop this bombshell on me and say that’s all I need to know!”
I dart up from the chair, my muscles tense as the residual shock from what I just learned ripples through me.
Dad rises to his feet, and taking hold of my shoulder, he says, “Do you really need to know the details, Jase? It won’t change anything, will it? Your mom’s fine now. It’s all that matters. She survived, and she dealt with it. We’ve all dealt with it. We just thought you should know the reason for your mom reaching out to Mila.”
Fuck, Dad’s right. I don’t think I can handle hearing the details. I’m barely hanging on as is.
Needing confirmation, I ask, “But Mom’s okay? She’s really fine?”
Dad pulls me into a hug. “Yes, your mom has fully recovered from the ordeal. Let’s focus on helping Mila.”
I nod and wrap my arms around Dad as I admit, “It’s hard. How did you cope?”
We sit down again, and Dad lets out a chuckle. “I didn’t. Honestly, I was beside myself. I went into overprotective mode until I nearly drove your mother insane.”
His comment makes me think of when Mila said she can put on her own seat belt, and I say, “Overprotective is an understatement. It’s tough leaving Mila alone just so she can take a shower.”
The corner of Dad’s mouth curves up. “I felt guilty and blamed myself