Locked Hearts (Chained Hearts Duet 2)

“Your fiancée is waiting, and we need to move as it’s Wren’s nap time and I would like to read while we drive.” I give him a pointed look before adding, “In silence.”

Roberto has the car seat already set up. I take Wren back from Joey and strap her in. Standing back up straight, I shut the door, then turn to see all three sets of eyes are on me. I smile at all the boys and clap my hands. “Let’s go, this momma wants to swim.” It’s the one sad thing about living in the city, there are no pools with wide-open views to die for. I slide into the car, shut the door behind me, and watch as Keir says something to Joey before he makes his way over to his car, and her. They pull out first and we are not far behind them.

I do as I said I was going to…

… I read the whole way and it’s energizing.

We all arrive at the same time. Joey gets out and helps me with the baby’s things as Paige glues herself to Keir. As soon as I have Wren in my arms, who is waking up and due for a diaper change and bottle, Keir strides over with her heels clacking not far behind him.

“Can someone show me to the room?”

“You know where the room is,” Keir says, and I feel all eyes on me.

“I’ll be staying wherever Wren’s room is located.” I smile and head toward the house. It’s been so long since I’ve been in here. This place held me hostage, but also opened me up to so many things.

First, that my ex-husband was an asshole.

Second, I had somehow fallen in with the mafia boss who held me hostage.

And third, I wanted his hands to roam my body and keep doing it forever.

“You really do like to make him antsy,” Joey comments, following close behind me with the bags. I walk past Keir’s room. The same one I stayed in with him and wonder if she will be in there as well.

We did things in that room—things that gave me Wren.

I step closer to the door and look inside. Not much has changed apart from how now there is a vase of flowers on the window ledge where I used to sit. Shaking my head, I step out of his doorway and keep walking to the next room. When I look inside, I smile because it’s the prettiest little girl’s room I’ve ever seen.

“Look, Wren, isn’t this pretty?” I smile at her as I step inside the room.

Joey places her bags on the floor, and I move over to the large seat.

“It folds out to a bed. Though, there’s also a spare room next door,” Joey informs me, nodding to the couch slash bed combo.

“Just leave my things in here, thanks. This is fine.” I place Wren on the floor in front of a bunch of toys. She immediately grabs for them while I ready her bottle and grab a clean diaper from the bag. “Can you watch her while I heat this up?” I ask. He nods and walks in, looking down at Wren. “You can get on the floor with her. She won’t bite.” I laugh before I make my way to the kitchen. While waiting for the bottle to warm, I hear arguing.

Stepping closer to the door, I listen…

“You want me. I’m your fiancée, remember that, Keir.”

My spine straightens.

“I’m working, Paige. Go away.” His voice is cold, hard, almost flinty in sound. Keir is so unemotional when he talks to her that he sounds angry, confused, but dominant. He doesn’t talk to me like that.

“We could have some fun. You have that big shower. I’m sure we could play in there.” I hear her make kissing sounds and it makes me shiver.

“Get off of me. Fucking hell, Paige. Fuck off.”

“She doesn’t want you, but I do. Remember that.” I hear her heels and quickly grab the bottle before I head back out the other door so I don’t run into either one of them. When I return to the room, I find Joey passing Wren a doll while Paige sits on the couch, her legs crossed, watching. When she sees me, her eyes narrow, but she doesn’t make a move to leave.

“Thanks, Joey,” I say, bending down and reaching for Wren. I glance at Paige and then walk out, not wanting to even deal with asking her to move—I am not wasting my energy on that.

“You don’t want to be near me,” Paige calls after me, but I keep moving. I make my way to the living area and take a seat, and the bitch follows like a bad smell. “You’ll have to get used to me, you know. I’m marrying her father.” Her eyes fall to Wren. “Maybe he and I can raise her.”