Locked Hearts (Chained Hearts Duet 2)

Opening the door, I stop at the threshold. Stepping back out, I check I have the right door. Yep, number thirteen. There’s a brand-new couch—what did he do with the old one?—a television, a dining table, and it’s already fully equipped. Moving farther inside, my old bedroom has a new bed, and the office, which was small, is now a nursery. And he’s added doors.

Our bags sit there waiting as I place Wren in her crib, then I pull her bags into the room and start unpacking.

Time passes so quickly as I am engrossed in getting things organized, and as I’m putting away the last of her clothes, I look at the time. Shit.

I grab something cute for her to wear and pull her from the crib, where she played nice with her toys while I unpacked, then take her to the shower with me. We get in and I start washing her, realizing too late that her shower seat is still packed. I glance at the shower floor, not wanting to put her down, when his voice rings through the bathroom.

“Give her to me.” I turn quickly, almost slipping at the nearness of his voice.

“Wh.. what are you doing in here?” I squeal.

“Give Wren to me so you can finish getting ready, woman.” I scowl at him, passing Wren over and he takes her, not caring that his jacket is getting wet. “Your body has changed.” Looking back over my shoulder, I see him taking his time staring at me as he wraps Wren in a towel. She giggles as he holds her close.

“That’s what happens after you have a baby,” I say. I stare back at him, unblinking, eyes wide, waiting for him to comment further. I want to ask him if he means it’s changed for the worse or better, but I keep my lips sealed shut. I shouldn’t care what he thinks. Instead, I say something else. “You were supposed to wait for me. You agreed to call before you came in.”

His eyes rake over me one last time before he looks at Wren. “Let’s get you dressed.” Then he adds, “I did call. Twice.” Keir leaves the room.

After finishing my shower, I quickly change into something clean. Sliding a lilac dress over my head, followed by a denim jacket and I pull on some Converse shoes. Once I check myself in the mirror, I walk out to find Wren already dressed and Keir studying her bottles on the counter.

“You dressed her?”

He glances back over his shoulder. “I googled how to do it,” he answers, and I’m not sure if he’s being serious or not. “But you need to show me this.” He nods to her formula, and I walk over to give him a lesson on how to prepare her bottle. Keir pays close attention, taking in the steps and measurements, then nods his head and plucks the bottle from me before feeding her. “You look beautiful.”

“Why are you doing this?” I ask.

He switches his attention from Wren to me while I chose to ignore his comment regarding how I look.

“My mother is waiting. Are you ready?”

Sighing, I prepare her other bottles, and then we leave.

He never answered my question.

She lives not far from where I do.

“Do you live here as well?” I ask, remembering he also lives in the city, not just in his large house where he kept me.

“I do. I have the entire top floor of the building two down from here.”

Okay. Holy shit.

“And she knows I’m coming?” The car comes to a stop and the driver gets out to open our doors. Keir holds Wren as if it’s natural for him, and I hate him a little bit for that fact.

“She knows she’s meeting Wren…”

“But not me,” I clarify as we get out.

Keir doesn’t respond, he simply makes his way to the building’s front door with me following closely behind.

“Your mom is going to hate me,” I half-whisper, but he hears me all the same.

“It’s a possibility,” he replies as we enter the building.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, it was just what I needed to hear.” I huff as we take the elevator to his mother’s floor. When we exit the elevator, there’s a door standing open and a lady with silver hair waits there unsmiling.

“Mamma, you look good,” Keir says, approaching and kissing both her cheeks. “This is Wren.” I watch as his mamma smiles softly at Wren, who sticks to Keir, not letting go.

“She’s attached to you already,” his mother comments.

“This is Sailor, Wren’s mother.” Keir steps to the side so I can come up next to him.

“Nice to meet you.” I give her a soft smile, but she doesn’t return the gesture. Instead, her eyes travel up and down the length of me before she looks to Keir.