“How do I get in touch with you?”
“You don’t. I’ll find you when I need to.”
“And…now?”
“It was time for you to know. Go home. Tend to your wife and son. Take care of your mother. Leave this to me.”
It was tempting. Really tempting. But—
“No way. I’m all-in now. Murph and Patty were my friends. I’ve already decided…”
“Decided what?”
“I can’t tell Daphne about this. I’m going to figure out a way to make it look like Patty left the country.”
“You think you can pull that off?”
“Didn’t you say it yourself? Money can buy just about anything?”
“I want better for you,” he said.
“Right. If you wanted better for me, you wouldn’t have pointed a gun at Dr. Pelletier’s head while I was standing right there.”
“I was making a point.”
“Yeah. The point that money can buy anything.”
“You missed that point, son. Money can buy just about anything. When money can’t get you what you want, a threat against someone’s life can. Life trumps money any day. It took me a while to learn that lesson.”
“You say you wanted better for me. I call bullshit.”
“I did, Brad. I wanted a lot better for you. Unfortunately, I may not get my wish.”
“I want better for my son.”
“I know you do. I hope you get it.”
“I will. I fucking will. But for him to thrive, he needs his mother whole. This will destroy her.”
“She’s stronger than you think.”
“She spent a year at a mental hospital, Dad.”
“I know that. Doesn’t mean she’s weak.”
“Her father thinks she is.”
“Does her father know her better than you do?”
“Hell, yeah, he does. She and I haven’t even known each other for a year. It’s insane!”
“Jonathan Wade isn’t who you think he is, son. Be careful.”
“Jonathan Wade loves his wife and his dau— Wait. What are you saying? Who paid for Daphne’s treatment? Do you know?”
“I don’t. But I’m trying to find out.”
Chapter Fifty-Four
Daphne
Two Months Later…
Ennis had gone back to London after Patty left him, and so far, Brad hadn’t been able to locate Sage for me.
I was alone.
Alone with no friends.
But I did have my adorable baby. Jonah was nearly three months old now, and he was a beautiful chubby little boy. Mazie had shown me some photos of Brad as a baby, and Joe was a dead ringer for his dad. His smiles warmed my heart. I was still nursing him, and soon I’d add some solid food to his diet. No more threats had been made against him, and although Cliff still hovered over us, I was beginning to feel normal again. Well, sort of. Dr. Pelletier and I were still working together. It was a slow process, but I felt better.
My mother was back in Denver with my dad, so Mazie was my sole help with the baby, while Belinda took care of the household.
Then there was Brad…
He was gone most of the time.
But tonight he was coming home from a three-week business trip, and I had plans.
My doctor had given me the green light to resume sexual relations.
It had been so long. Because my pregnancy had been problematic, we hadn’t made love at all during the last trimester.
Five months since I’d been intimate with my husband.
I’d lost all my pregnancy pounds—thank you, nursing—and I was ready for an evening of passion.
Joe was in Mazie’s care for the evening. I sat in the bedroom clad in a lacy pink negligee, waiting for my handsome husband.
I closed my eyes, slipping into dreamland.
“Baby.”
I jerked awake.
Brad hovered over me, his jaw unshaven, his eyes tired and sunken.
“I’m home, baby.”
I cupped his cheek, letting his stubble scratch my fingertips. “Welcome, home.”
He pressed his lips to mine. “I’ve missed you so much. You look beautiful.”
“I…fell asleep.”
“I know. The plane was late. I’m sorry, baby. I’m beat.”
“But—”
“In the morning. I promise.”
I sighed and sat up. “I’ll go check on the baby. He’s spending the night in the nursery with Cliff.”
“You had this all planned,” he said. A statement.
“I did. It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t okay.
It wasn’t okay at all.
Five a.m. came quickly. Joe was on a strict schedule. He slept through the night now, if you called eleven to five sleeping through the night.
I sat with him in the rocker in the nursery, feeding him. He was so big now, so different from that little bundle I nursed those first few days.
He was beautiful. I dreamed of having more babies just like him once he was older. Of course, to have babies, my husband had to actually be around to make love to me.
Last night still disappointed me. Brad couldn’t help it if his plane was delayed, but I was upset anyway.
I jolted slightly when the door to the nursery opened and a sliver of light came in.
“Hey,” Brad said.
“Morning.”
“How’s he doing?”
“He’s great. Hungry.”
Baby Joe tugged on my nipple urgently.
“I’m a little jealous,” he said.
“Don’t be.”