Chapter Ten
He didn’t stay the night in my room, and I didn’t sleep much.
Grandma Sidney knocked on my door at five in the morning, and I got up and hurriedly packed up my clothes and things. I got dressed, and half expected Nicholas to be on the bed when I came out of the bathroom, but he wasn’t.
I didn’t see him until he came to load up the luggage. Trina was in the limo before her bags, and Grandma Sidney was giving Tony instructions he already knew regarding the house and animals.
“Stay indoors as much as possible,” Nicholas told me when he took my last bag from my hands. I followed him to the back of the limo. “You’ll be fine,” he added when I hesitated at his side.
“Will you?”
“Why? Are you worried about me?” Nicholas turned toward me. “Don’t be,” he said before I had the chance to respond. “I want you to look into finding out about your birth mom.”
“You’re really stuck on that aren’t you?” I looked around to see if anyone had heard him, but everyone was busy doing their own thing. “I don’t want to know.”
“Yes, you do and you really shouldn’t wait.” He kissed me so fast I didn’t have time to stop him. “Had to have one to hold me over.” My grandma was snickering so I couldn’t hit him like he deserved. “I’ll be here,” he said with a meaningful look, and I hated that it was working. He was playing me like a fiddle, and I was just letting him do it.
Grandma Sidney got in the car and Tony and Johnny were waving their goodbyes. Adriel was lying on the floor of the limo. I was in no way a seductress, but I wanted him to get some of his own treatment. I tried to toss my hair back like I’d seen women do in movies, and I almost fell over. “Be careful.” He reached out and steadied me.
I should say something that will stick in his mind and torment him like he repeatedly does to me.
“Uhm….” I couldn’t think of anything sexy to say. My heartbeat was speeding up, and I knew I was about to chicken out. “Nicholas….” His eyes warmed, and the yellow in them became a bronze. I put my hands on his chest, stepping as close as I dared.
“Yes?” His voice was deep, and his head was descending toward mine. That was an incredibly arousing gravely sound in his voice, and I could feel my attempt beginning to backfire. Our lips were only a breath apart. I kissed his cheek.
“Take care of Tony and Johnny.” I pulled back quickly before I did something really stupid and got into the limo. I didn’t dare look at him until I had the door closed between us. He seemed to be able to see through the tinted windows. He gave me a sharp nod with his head while his eyes stayed hot and challenging.
“Wow,” Trina squealed when the limo pulled away. “I’ve never seen an almost kiss be so hot.” She was fanning herself.
“Trina.” I blushed and glanced at my grandma.
“Me either,” she agreed and my face burned even hotter.
My baby sister could not possibly smile any bigger. “Does he have a brother?” Trina moved so she was seated across from me. “You should tell Mom everything is good and come right back.”
Trina told me how hot Nicholas was the entire four hour ride to our parents’ home. Adriel seemed to be suffering more than I. He rolled onto his back and made a moaning whimper several times, but Trina never noticed.
When the limo stopped in front of the mansion, Katrine came out of the giant double doors. Her warm blond hair was straight and parted to the left. Her makeup was applied to look as though she was not wearing much at all. She wore her pink suit jacket over a linen white dress with matching pink heels.
The staff quickly removed the luggage, and Grandma squeezed my hand. I could not hide from her how terrified I was.
“No matter what, sweetheart, she loves you.” I forced a smile. Grandma Sidney got out after Trina, and I climbed out. Adriel was next, and that was where Katrine’s blue eyes focused.
“What is that?”
“My dog.”
“It is, is it?” She raised a brow at my grandma.
“He’s good for protection.” Grandma Sidney smiled, and they embraced. “Trina, will you show me where I’m going to be staying?” I watched the two of them go into the house and was glad that Adriel stayed with me.
“Let’s have a talk.” Katrine gestured for me to follow her. She led the way to the study, and I closed the door knowing the routine. This was the room in which the staff could not use intercoms to listen in. It was where we went when our parents were angry enough to yell.
Adriel sensed my apprehension, and I worried that I had not put a leash on him. I put him out of the study and closed the door again. “You hung up on me. You’ve never done that.”
She wasn’t yelling, but I could hear her displeasure in her tone. This was where I was supposed to apologize. I didn’t.
“If your father is going to be re-elected for a second term we have to present a united front. We can’t be united if you hang up on me, cutting off communication.” She tapped the back of the chair facing the desk. I moved forward and stood next to the chair, but I didn’t want to sit. “I’ve apologized, Piper for the things I said about that woman. What else do you want?”
“Does Grandma Sidney know about me?”
My mom sighed and sat in the chair behind the desk. “Yes, she knows. We were never going to tell you about it, especially when they left us alone for so long. I’d hoped the money had been enough.” She shook her head. “You’re my daughter. I’ve raised you since you were a baby. Your knowing about it shouldn’t change anything.”
“It wouldn’t if you really felt that way.”
She stood up. “I do.”
“No.” My eyes filled with tears. “If you did you wouldn’t have compared me to her or said the things you did.”
“I was-”
“Upset, I know.” I held up my hand when the color rose in her face. “I don’t doubt that you love me, Mom. However, I saw your hatred for the woman that bore me, and I can’t change what she did.” I swallowed and sat down. “I want you to tell me everything. Tell me what you know about her.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’ve told you all that you need to know. She sold you to us, and she disappeared as she promised she would.”
“What was her name?”
“Enough. I’m not telling you anything more. Forget her.” She bent and hugged me so tightly it hurt. “I’m sorry you found out the way that you did.” She was crying, and I had never seen my mom cry. Not ever. “I was mad and wrong. You’re mine, and I won’t lose you to that woman.” Grandma Sidney was right. She did love me.
Relief poured through me, and I hugged her back. I couldn’t be mad at her anymore. She had raised me like her own even though I wasn’t. Not only was I not, but I was the other woman’s baby. Katrine had done the best she could under the circumstances.
“Now, let’s not talk about that anymore.” She turned and smiled at me, and I knew that at least at this point she was not going to tell me anything about my birth mother. “Now go and unpack.”
I left the study, and Adriel was waiting for me. “Sorry.” I patted his head and wondered if that would bother him.
“Your father wants to see you when he gets in.” Mom stood in the doorway of the study. “He’s due anytime now.” I nodded and wondered how much trouble I’d be in if I took my Civic and left for the rest of the day. Talks with good ol’ dad were never the kind I’d categorize as precious memories.
Adriel whined at my feet, and I figured he must need to go outside. Did he need to become human as Nicholas did? There wasn’t any forestry near the mansion. “Come on.” I led him up to my room and opened the bathroom door for him. He went right in and even pushed the door shut. The toilet flushed when my father walked in without knocking.
“Typical.” He marched across my room and yanked open the bathroom door. I prayed he wouldn’t find a naked man in there.
“What’s typical?” I ventured when he didn’t make a sound.
He turned back toward me, and Adriel in small wolf form grumbled as he left the bathroom. I sighed and sat on my bed. I knew exactly what he had thought he would find in the bathroom. He’d almost been right except he still would have been wrong.
“The stunt you pulled with that Rick boy is going to cost you.” He was facing me, no expression on his face to give away his thoughts.
“Nothing happened and I broke up with him.”
“You did it to get attention. If you’re pregnant you’ll be cut off, do you understand?” He closed my door with himself still inside, and I stood up. The black hair on Adriel’s back stood up on end, and I ran my hand across his back to calm him. “You’ve been a liability your entire life.” He massaged his temples.
“I guess you shouldn’t have bought me then.”
“She would have ruined my career if we hadn’t. Other men in my situation have their mistresses killed when they try to pull stunts like this.” He looked at the ceiling. “I didn’t.” Watching him I was sure he wished that he had. “And you’re just like her aren’t you? Filth.”
I had to grip Adriel’s fur to hold him still. “Maybe you should have kept your pants zipped up.” Rage colored his face, and I was sure he was going to slap me. I couldn’t believe I’d said what I’d said either, but I was not sorry.
“If you want to make a scene with this, go ahead. You’ll be illegitimate and penniless. Try making something of yourself with that hovering over you.”
“I don’t want to make a scene.” I saw the relief soften his features. “I just want to know about her.”
“No.” He turned to leave my room.
“What? I should get to know her name at least.”
“No good can come from that. She’ll use you to get more money out of us. We saved you from a life of debauchery. You are my daughter and if you have even the smallest ounce of loyalty or gratitude you’ll drop this.” He would never tell me anything about her.
I wondered if Katrine knew what kind of man he was when she married him. Then she was stuck with him.
Why had my mother been with him?
The little I did know about her hurt me, and I didn’t know if I should learn anything more of her. She had sold me for money, and that was not painting a pretty picture. If I was going to find anything out about her, it would have to be right then. I never planned on returning to live under my dad’s roof again.
“I’ll put you through college. You’ll continue to be provided for. Just keep your mouth shut and no more stunts.”
I didn’t want his money or anything else from him anymore. Grandpa had been a greater father figure for me than he ever had been. It hurt to realize this, but it was so clear that I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
“Just let me go to school at Grandma’s this year, and I won’t say a word.”
“It figures you’d have a price.” He glared at me. “You can as long as you stay out of trouble.” I watched him leave my room and then let go of Adriel. I felt a little weak and sore. Talking to my dad was physically taxing.
Normally, I’d go to Grandma Sidney’s to talk after something like this, but I wasn’t ready to talk to her yet. She had known about Katrine not being my birth mother, and she had not told me.
We were so close, and I trusted her more than anyone else in the world. She must have had reasons not to tell me, but I wasn’t ready to hear them.