Page 113 of The Reborn

“She might have daddy issues, but I’ve met her, and she doesn’t strike me as the violent type.”

I sucked in a breath, clinging to his words, praying he knew what he was talking about. He had to. Nothing could happen to my little girl.

“Come on, baby. I got this. I got you.” He picked me up and guided me out the door and back to the truck.

The drive was a blur, and it felt like seconds, then we were back at the house. It was silent as a tomb when we walked inside.

I slumped on the couch, not sure what to do with myself, while he jumped into action, calling the police to check in and updating everyone as promised.

When he hung up and faced me again, the dam in me broke. I knew I couldn’t hold it back any longer. If I lost Elizabeth now, it would be worse than death. It would extinguish the light of my very soul. “I lied to you.”

His expression gave nothing away as he crossed his arms and studied my haggard face. “About what?”

“When you asked me if I’d ever talked to him again. I told you about our fight and the hateful things he said...”

“Okay.” His tone was not judgmental and left it wide open for me to continue, which killed me. I think, in that moment, I would’ve preferred his anger.

“I didn’t tell you that he also wrote me letters when I got home to Texas.”

“More of the same?”

I shook my head. “No. He apologized. He said he was getting a divorce and asked to reconcile.”

Hurt flashed through Justin’s eyes but he quickly banked it. “What did you say?”

“I wrote him back and told him I’d lost the baby.”

The room became silent as he processed my words. I’m sure it poked his old bruise with Tricia and her deceptions regarding pregnancy, and I hated that he might think less of me for lying, but I’d made that choice to protect my daughter and I wouldn’t apologize for it now.

“But,” I added, steeling my spine, “he didn’t believe me.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wrote me back just after she was born, saying she was his daughter too and I should remember that. It scared the hell out of me, but I never told another soul until now.” I hugged myself to ward off the sudden chill. “Until this.”

Twenty-Eight

Justin

Until now . . . until this.

Her words hit me with the force of a meteor.

“I’m so sorry. I know I should’ve said something before,” she said, tears still streaming down her face, full of bitter remorse. “Especially to you, but—”

I held up a hand to stop her. Yes, she should’ve told me everything, and it stung that she’d held back after everything we’d shared, but I couldn’t hold that against her. Everyone had their right to hold their secrets until they felt ready to share them, but in this moment, Elizabeth’s safety and Olivia’s pain trumped everything. And it was my job to take care of them, regardless.

Plus, this was the puzzle piece that had been missing all along.

Everything clicked into place like a trail of dominoes falling in rapid succession. There was no abusive ex-boyfriend. That had all been a ruse to throw everyone off the scent. Sofia had hustled her way into Olivia’s life. It was clear she knew who she was and that Elizabeth was her half sister. What wasn’t as clear were her intentions. Had she and her father planned this all along, playing the long game, with a kidnapping as the ultimate goal? If so, we were already behind the eight ball. They could be long gone by now.

“Justin, please,” Olivia pleaded, her voice scratchy with unshed tears. “Say something. Did I cause this by keeping the truth from you?”

“No.” I sat next to her and pulled her close. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“It feels like it,” she cried into my chest. “I didn’t protect my baby girl. How could I let him take her?”

I cupped the back of her head as a surge of fierce protectiveness roared through me like a freight train, hot and nearly enough to choke me. “You didn’t, honey. He took her. There’s a difference.”

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