Knox could admit to being just as impatient to have her. One of the things he liked most about her, despite how contrary it made her, was her independent streak. He also liked that she was upfront, tenacious, and unpredictable. It was a package that fascinated him.
Nervously, Carla cleared her throat. “I hope I find you well and…” She trailed off when Knox held up his hand.
“We both know you didn’t come here to enquire about my welfare, so I’d prefer it if you didn’t make unnecessarily small talk.”
“Very well.” She paused briefly. “I heard that you found your anchor.”
“You heard correctly.”
“I heard her name is Harper Wallis.”
Something about the way she stumbled over the name made Knox realize…“You didn’t name her, did you?”
She averted her gaze. “I had some difficulty deciding on one.”
“You also had difficulty being a mother to her, as I understand it.” So much difficulty she hadn’t even bothered to give Harper a name before dumping her.
“So she told you.” Carla exhaled heavily. “I ask you not to take everything you heard as gospel. The Wallis family have a very one-sided account of what occurred back then.”
“You didn’t leave your child with Jolene Wallis?”
“It’s not as simple as that. I have no idea if Jolene and Lucian told Harper lies about me or if she, like them, enjoys exaggerating the tale. But there is much more to the story than whatever she told you.”
Knox sank into his seat, regarding her thoughtfully. “Why come to me with this?”
“You’re my Prime, and your opinion of me is important to me. I just ask you not to judge me on the information you’ve been given by Harper. It’s clear that – as I feared – you’re angry with me because of what you’ve heard, but please be fair. You have known me for some time. Harper’s your anchor, but the reality is that you don’t know her.”
“I’d say it’s you who doesn’t know her.” Carla seemed abashed, but he wasn’t buying it. “Are you implying that she lied to me? That’s a very serious allegation to make.” And it offended both him and his demon that anyone would accuse Harper of such a thing.
“I know,” agreed Carla, sounding distressed to even consider it. “But it’s that or she’s simply repeating lies the Wallis family have told her.”
“As I see it, if you truly had any regard for her, you wouldn’t have abandoned her.”
“It wasn’t as simple as that. I thought that if I left her with Lucian for a little while, he would bond with her and then we could be a family. It was a foolish plan, and I saw that soon enough. I went back for her, I did. But Jolene refused to let me take her. I tried again and again, but then Lucian took her away. I never had a chance of finding her after that, he was always moving.”
If Carla was lying, she was very, very good at it. According to Harper, Jolene had sent her to live with Lucian when she was four. Was it possible that Jolene had done that to keep her out of Carla’s reach?
“Soon after that, I met Bray and we eventually had our sons. My focus had to be on them.”
“In short, you’re saying that if Jolene and Lucian hadn’t tried to come between you and Harper, you would have been a mother to her?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Hmm. She’s been in Vegas without Lucian since she was eighteen. Yet, you’ve made no effort at all to see her. That strikes me as odd for someone who claims to be so unhappy about not having their daughter in their life.”
“I thought about going to see her, but I knew Jolene and Lucian had filled her head with a pack of lies. I worried that she’d slam the door in my face. I don’t think I could take that.” Carla swallowed hard, the image of an emotional mess. “Do you think she would ever want to speak with me? Has she given you any indication that she might be prepared to do so?”
“Anything Harper tells me will remain between her and me. I’d never break her confidence.”
“Naturally. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” There was a pause before Carla timidly enquired, “How is she?”
“That’s a question for Harper to answer. I’m her anchor. But I don’t speak for her. Now if you’re finished, I’m a busy man.” But he got the feeling that she wasn’t finished, that there was something else.
Carla immediately shot to her feet. “I understand. Thank you for your time, Mr. Thorne.” When she reached the door, she glanced at him over her shoulder. “Before I go…”
And here it is. “Yes?”
“Please give Harper a message for me. Please tell her that, whatever she may think, I have always loved her. I never stopped thinking about her, wondering where she was and how she was doing. Not even for a single day.” Then Carla was gone, and Levi slipped inside.
“You heard that?” Knox asked him.
The sentinel nodded. “Do you believe her?”
“I’ll concede that there are always two sides to every story, but that’s not to say that I believe Carla’s account. You?”
“She sounded truthful. But…”
“Yes. But.”
“If you asked her sons whether she’s a good mother, I think you’d get conflicting answers. Roan is a self-righteous prick who hops, skips, and jumps at her say-so. Her youngest, Kellen, seems to despise her.” Levi tilted his head. “Are you going to give Harper the message from Carla?”