Locked Hearts (Chained Hearts Duet 2)

“Because I wanted him to know what it felt like,” she says, shrugging with her hand on her hip. “Plus, you were easy on the eyes, and your…” Her eyes drop down from my trousers to my crotch, and she smiles as she trails off.

“Did you know who I was?” I ask.

“Of course, I did. All he spoke about was you.” She looks back to my men. “I see you’ve worked out who I am, though.”

“I did.” I nod to her house. “You should invite us in.”

“If he finds out I let you in—”

“Trust me, he won’t.”

She gives me a skeptical look, then walks inside. I follow her to the large sitting area, where she takes a seat on a white couch, and I take the one opposite her.

“Seems you have something of mine,” I say.

“Excuse me?” she asks, and I can see straight through the lie.

“It’s probably not best to lie to me,” I warn.

“She isn’t here,” she says.

I nod to Joey, who takes the cue to look around the house.

“We’ll just check to make sure. You understand!”

Angela crosses her hands over her lap as she stares at me. “Paige told me you no longer want her, so why are you here?”

“Because she has something that’s mine.”

“The baby?” she asks, surprised. I nod. “I didn’t know. If I had known—”

“You would have done nothing, because your husband wouldn’t have allowed it,” I tell her.

When Joey comes back, he shakes his head. No sign of her.

“Where did Paige go?”

“She didn’t say, just that she needed to run some errands and would be back.”

“How long ago?”

She bites her lip. “Yesterday.”

Of course. I stand, and she reaches out to touch me, so I pull away as I look down at her.

“Will you come visit me again?”

“That won’t be possible.”

“She can watch again, if you want…” She pauses. “The brunette. That’s her, right?”

“Goodbye,” I say and walk out without another word.

Piper has her phone up and shows me the screen. “Stupid bitch left her snap maps on.”

“I’m really liking having you around.”

Piper beams up at me and smiles at my words. “Thanks, boss.”

“Going to fucking hell,” Roberto mutters.

“We’re already there,” I tell him as we leave.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sailor

“He’s gentler with you,” Keir’s mother says.

I like her. I didn’t at first, but I do now, and she’s great with Wren. My mother has seen Wren once, and yes, she gushed over her, but I get the feeling she feels her job is done with me. Even though she loves Wren and me, she doesn’t want to help raise her. Where Keir’s mother, Bianca, wants that. She wants to be a part of Wren’s life and help as much as possible. Which you will not hear me saying no to because I love the help and even more, I appreciate it. It takes a village to raise a child. While I did it by myself for those first months, I feel like I’m slowly getting back to who I am. Whoever that person may be.

A knock sounds at the door, and when I open it, Paige is standing there. I try to shut it in her face, but she manages to stop me with a foot in the door.

“It’s best you let me in.” She raises a gun and sticks it in the gap.

“I have a child here, Paige.”

“I’ve only come to talk, nothing more. You made me pull this out by trying to shut the door in my face.”

“Who’s that?” Bianca asks with Wren in her arms.

Trying to keep her from seeing the gun in Paige’s hand, I look over my shoulder and say, “Can you please take Wren into my room and keep her there?”

Bianca nods and I open the door once she starts walking down the hall.

When Paige enters, she directs her eyes to Bianca’s retreating form before she looks back at me.

“I see you’re a winner with the family now too.” She slides her gun into her purse when she walks farther into the apartment. Her eyes take in my home as she walks to the couch. She places her hand on her belly, which isn’t overly large, then sits.

“The doctor told me I’m carrying in my back,” she mutters, then rubs her belly. “I bet you were huge.” I nod, and she smiles, as if that pleases her. “This is nothing like the one he gave me,” she says, scanning the apartment again. Then those devilish eyes fall back to me. “He will get sick of you… eventually. He’s known me forever, and I’ve seen women come and go.”

“That’s nice,” I reply, not caring what she has to say. The things I believe that exit this bitch’s mouth is next to nil.

“You really are blinded by him.” She shakes her head.

“If you say so.”

“Arghhh… I should just kill you.” She reaches into her purse for her gun again.