His hand tightened on her neck but his voice was gentle when he demanded, “Elle, tell me.”
“What…” she stammered, unsure of the state of affairs and equally unsure she wanted to explore said state of affairs. She’d rather talk about her dream which was saying something since she hated those dreams. “What do you want to know?” she asked.
“You’ve had it since it happened?”
She nodded but said, “Not so much anymore. Just occasionally. Only when I’m stressed or anxious.”
“You had them when you were with me?”
She pulled in breath. Obviously, she’d never told him about the dreams.
“Yes,” she whispered, terrified about his response.
It wasn’t the insulted betrayal she expected, the betrayal he felt and angrily shared with her when he found out about her mother. Instead, his head tilted toward her, he touched their foreheads together a moment and he sighed.
This tender reaction made Isabella relax.
No, she didn’t relax.
She relaxed, her body, her mind, her heart, even her soul felt like it relaxed.
He drew away and said, “You need to talk to someone about it.”
“I have,” she explained softly. “They couldn’t help.”
His fingers flexed then eased.
His voice dipped lower when he asked, “Your father said you were weak?”
She couldn’t decipher if he was angry or disturbed by this.
She also didn’t answer verbally.
She just nodded.
This was met by silence.
Then in a voice that was lower, rougher and definitely angry, Prentice bit out, “He’s a f**king piece of work.”
“He’s out of my life,” she assured him quickly.
“He didn’t seem out of your life when he waltzed into a f**king wedding reception and right in front of everyone, including me and my children, literally brought you to your knees.”
All right.
Well.
Since his voice was even lower, rougher and now rumbling, Isabella thought it was safe to say he was now seriously angry.
“Prentice,” she murmured placatingly.
“Tell me how he’s out of your life,” Prentice demanded, not sounding placated even a little bit.
“We had words. He’s disinherited me.”
There was silence for a moment then Prentice’s head went back and he laughed. Regardless, he didn’t sound amused.
This alarmed her at the same time it confused her.