“You can regroup with my fucking security team.”
“We’ll see you in the morning, Mr. Spencer.”
The officers packed up their things and left. Regroup. As in they were going to go home and take a fucking break while Sydney and Brooke were missing. I threw Brooke’s shirt against the wall and held my son close, rocking us side to side in the hallway.
“Is Brooke coming back?” Daniel asked.
My heart shattered into a million pieces and fell to the floor.
It was sweet, how attached he had gotten to her. But there was no way we could be together. Not after something like this. She would never stay, and that was assuming she got out of this alive. I couldn’t ask her to stick around after this nightmare was resolved.
My phone rang and I moved so I could pick it up.
“Hello?” I asked, breathlessly.
“What the hell is going on, Kevin?”
“Sarah?” I asked.
“I’ve got police on my fucking porch asking me if I’ve seen a little girl that looks exactly like my daughter! Why didn’t you tell me she was missing?”
I furrowed my brow as I got to my feet.
“Why would I?” I asked.
“What do you mean, why? Because I’m their damn mother!”
“No, you’re their egg donor, Sarah. You left without a trace, remember?” I asked. “They are strangers to you, and you to them. I don’t owe you shit!”
“Don’t you dare split hairs with me. My daughter’s missing in your custody and you didn’t even bother telling me.”
“How did you get this number?” I asked.
“The officer gave it to me when I asked!”
“I’ll have to have a talk with that officer for giving out my personal info like that. What was his name?”
“The hell does that matter? You lost our child!”
“I’m not going to even break down how idiotic that sentence is coming from you. You never gave a shit about these kids, why start now?”
“She’s still my daughter, Kevin,” Sarah said, surprising me with the fear that trembled through her voice.
For some reason, it jus
t made me angrier.
“No, Sarah, she’s my daughter. I’ve raised her, I’ve comforted her, I’ve put her to bed every goddamn night since you left. Now let me go find her.”
I hung up the phone and promptly picked up my son. I held him closer than I ever had before. The guilt was too much, but the anger was even worse. Who the fuck did that woman think she was? She left us. Abandoned us. She had no right to be upset with me.
I bounced Daniel in my arms as I looked out over the beach. I hated the sight of it now. I couldn't stomach it. When this was all over, I was selling this property for whatever bargain-basement price unloaded it from my docket of real estate. I’d find us a cabin in the mountains. Somewhere else in this whole wide world.
Either way, I was never coming back here.
“I want Brooke back,” Daniel said.
“I know,” I said, as I kissed the side of his head. “I know you do. So do I, kiddo. So do I.”