had she been between the ages of five and twenty-three? When had her name changed? Had she been hiding from her mother, and if so, how had they found her? All these questions and more were running through my head when we pulled up in front of the house.
Instead of parking, I sent Jeremy back out to pick up the stuff I’d ordered Silas to get me earlier, and maybe that is why the house’s occupants didn’t hear my approach. After everything that I’d learned in the last few hours, I couldn’t wait to see her. I wanted to hold her, comfort her, and ask her all the questions that were burning a hole in my gut. But I knew that I wouldn’t, not now, not until I knew more.
It’s obvious to me now that she was afraid of someone or something, but there was still too much of the picture missing for me to put it all together. I needed more before I approached her for the truth that she seems so scared to tell me. It pisses me off that whoever was behind this had kept me away from my wife and son using whatever tactics they’d used to send her into hiding. I won’t let anyone off easy once I get to the bottom of this. I’ll deal with my misplaced anger at her later. Right now, my only priority is making sure that she and the baby are safe.
I walked into the house where I could hear raised voices coming from the downstairs study. None of the staff were around, which I found odd as I made my way in that direction. Usually, there would be a maid dusting or someone doing something on this floor this time of day, but the place was curiously empty.
I stood outside the door and listened, my anger growing by the second. When I’d heard enough, I walked into the room, startling its occupants, but when I saw that my son was there, my anger went through the roof. “Giselle, take my son out of here.” She looked scared as she moved to do my bidding. I stopped her when she reached my side in the doorway and kissed her head and his before sending her on her way. “I’ll be up soon.”
Giselle
What does this new attitude of Calen’s mean? I dared not put too much hope in the fact that he’d let me sleep in his bed, in his arms the night before, especially after the way he’d treated me this morning when we woke up. But just now, when he kissed mine and the baby’s head, he seemed so changed from the angry, uncaring man who’s been threatening me these last few days.
I felt unsure about leaving him alone with Dana after the things she’d said before he showed up. What if she repeats those same things to him? What if he sides with her? I wish I had the nerve to turn her away when she showed up here not long after Calen had left. Too late for that now. I’m always one step behind in everything.
When she first showed up here I did try though. I did my best to avoid her by locking myself and the baby away in the nursery, hoping she’d get the hint and go away once she realized that Calen wasn’t at home but imagine my surprise when we left the nursery more than an hour later after baby Calen’s nap to find her waiting for me.
She’d taken one look at my son and sneered before announcing that we needed to talk. Once again, I wish I’d had enough confidence in myself to ask her to leave, but this was no longer my home and I’m sure she was more welcomed than me. I looked around for the housekeeper or one of the staff, but she smirked and told me that she’d sent them all to the other side of the house under the guise of having to work. “I know how much that Delores likes to gossip, can’t have her carrying tales to my future mother in law.”
Her words made me sick to my stomach. She can only be talking about Calen’s mom when she said this, and here I was, the mother of his child, the woman who’d shared his bed just the night before, and I had no leg to stand on. “Let’s take this into the study, shall we?” I didn’t feel like I had a choice,