With Every Heartbeat (Forbidden Men 4)

“Poor Ten. I wonder how he was ever able to talk to me at all.”

A smile lit up my face. “Easy. How could anyone not talk to you? You’re a freaking angel.”

She snorted and rolled her eyes, but the smile that followed told me how much she loved the praise. “I love you,” she whispered.

I kissed her knuckles. “Not as much as I love you. In a way, I’m glad you decided to come to Ellamore and give away one of your kidneys, because it brought you to me.”

“You know what,” she slurred, “So am I. Thank God my half-sister is an evil, conniving witch, or we never would’ve met.”

Together, we laughed softly. We’d discovered that finding a way to laugh and make light of it was easier to handle than the cold, dark truth: Cora was evil, and Zoey would always be connected to her.

Zoey’s eyelashes fluttered, and I knew she needed rest. I was about to tell her to get some sleep while I kept watch over her, but someone knocked softly on the opened doorframe.

It was Cora’s father. I straightened and stiffened indignantly, but Zoey’s grip on my fingers warned me to behave.

“Hi,” she said simply, not welcoming him, but not giving him the cold shoulder either.

“Hey.” His gaze softened as he glanced over at her and stepped hesitantly into her room. “So, I see you made it through okay.”

Zoey nodded. “How’s Cora?”

His mouth twitched into a half grimace, half smile. “She made it through surgery as well. So far her body is accepting your kidney.”

Zoey’s shoulders eased. “Good.”

Her biological father glanced away and cleared his throat. “I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am…for everything.” When his green gaze met hers, her fingers clamped even tighter around mine. “If I had known what Cora was doing earlier, I would’ve put a stop to it long ago. I can only assure you that she won’t bother you again…” His gaze flickered my way. “She won’t bother either of you. She’s always had a strong will and wanted her own way. Just like her mother. It’s been a challenge to keep her even moderately in line. And...” He sighed and glanced down at his hands, touched his wedding ring before he kept talking. “I probably shouldn’t have allowed her so much contact with you when you started high school. I knew she’d end up trying to control you. She does that with everyone. But...” He gave a half shrug. “I guess I was curious about you, too. Please believe me when I say you don’t have to worry about her again. If there’s one thing she listens to and respects, it’s money. And since I control hers, I can keep her away from you.”

“Thank you,” Zoey said.

“And about…about Ernest.” Shaking his head, he glanced away in shame. “It’s troubled me for years, knowing how he treated you. But my marriage and—”

“You don’t have to explain anything,” Zoey broke in, wincing when she probably tensed enough to pull something she shouldn’t have. I moved to remove Mr. Wilder from her room, but she tightened her grip on my hand, stopping me.

“I’m not proud of myself. There are so many wrong decisions I’ve made.” Emotion swamped his features. “But Cora was wrong when she told you your mother and I were just some casual fling. Your mother was....” When his eyes misted, he cleared his throat. “She was everything good and kind; she reminds me so much of you. Maybe if she had lived...” With a shake of his head, he cleared his throat again. “I know it’s too late to save you from what Ernest did to you for all those years, but I can help keep him away from here on out. I’ve gone to the private investigator he hired to find you, and I paid him double to make sure you’re never found.”

I glanced at Zoey just as tears filled her eyes. “I…I appreciate that.”

Mr. Wilder nodded. He drew in a deep breath and glanced away. “Well…I’d tell you to call me if you every needed anything, but I understand if you never want any more contact with me.” He turned his attention to me and rasped, “Take care of my little girl,” before he spun away and hurried from the room.

“Wow,” Zoey said, her voice hoarse and eyes more watery than ever. “That was my dad. My real dad.” She glanced up at me, and I knew she’d contact Mr. Wilder again. She wanted a relationship with her real father. “I think he might actually love me.”

I leaned down and pressed my forehead to hers. “Of course he does. You’re impossible not to love.”

“Oh, you’re just saying that because...because…” She frowned, trying to think up a reason.

I smiled. “Because I had a million and one reason not to fall for you, but I did anyway?”

“You did, didn’t you?” She gazed at me with appreciation before closing her eyes. “Merry Christmas Eve, Quinn. I don’t know what’s going to happen from here on out, but knowing I’ll be sharing it all with you makes me eager to start it.”

“Amen,” I murmured. “With you in my life, I’m looking forward to everything.”

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Ten’s Story

Let your hair down, Caroline, they said.

It’ll be fun, they said.