Page 105 of Unwrapping Romance

“Yes, Sierra. It’s me.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“You did this, Jack? You did this behind my back?”

“Sweetheart—”

“Don’t you fucking sweetheart me! I hate you for this.” I went to run out of the kitchen until I heard my mother speak.

“I never stopped loving you, Sierra Ann! Not a day went by that I didn’t think about you!”

I whipped myself around and looked at her, pointing my finger. “I waited for you to come back, and you never did! You have no idea what you’ve done to me!” I shouted.

“Let me explain. Please, Sierra. I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t raise you.”

“I don’t want to hear it! Get out!”

“I was a prostitute when you were a child. You were the only thing I’d done right in my life, and I had to protect you!”

I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard her say she was a prostitute. I stood, with my back turned, frozen. Jack walked over and gripped my arms.

“Hear her out,” he whispered in my ear. “I know it hurts, but just hear her out. Let’s go sit down, Jeanine.”

Jack guided me to the living room, and my mother followed, sitting in the chair across from the couch where Jack and I sat.

“I had no money. The man I worked for took almost every penny I made. When I told him that I needed money for food for you, he told me to work harder. He was a horrible and evil man. I cried every time I looked into your eyes because I couldn’t escape that life. I tried so many times, but he threatened me and you if I quit. I came from a broken home and ran away when I was sixteen. I left you in the church because I needed you to have a better home and life. I was so afraid that Rocco would hurt you. He’d hurt kids in the past, and I knew he wasn’t joking around. I couldn’t take that chance. I did what I did to protect you.”

“Well, I didn’t have a good home or life. I was bounced around in the system for years. After the last family died in a caraccident, I was thrown into the group home, where I stayed until I was eighteen.”

“I’m so sorry.” Tears streamed from her eyes. “I tried to find you once I got out of the business. I contacted Minnesota Social Services, and they told me that your information was sealed, you were doing fine, and I had no rights to you anymore. Nobody would help me. I even tried to hire a lawyer, but he dropped me when I couldn’t pay.”

“How did you get out of the business?” Jack asked.

“Rocco and his guys were eventually busted for murder. The FBI had their eye on them for a while. My and a few of the other girl’s testimonies put them away. After I couldn’t find my daughter and no one would help me, I packed up and moved to New York. One of the girls that I used to work with called me not too long after I came here to tell me that Rocco was killed in jail.”

“You seem to be doing very well for yourself now,” I said.

“I met and married a wonderful man a year after I moved here and cleaned myself up. He passed away four years ago and left me a sizable life insurance policy. I used that money to open up the bakery. I don’t know if you remember, but we always used to bake together.”

“I don’t remember that. The only thing I remember is that night.”

You never had any more children?” Jack asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t. Not because there was anything wrong, but because I didn’t want another child after what I’d done.”

“Did your husband know?” I asked.

“No. I never told him, but it haunted me. You have turned into such a beautiful young woman.”

“Don’t, Jeanine. Just don’t.” I put my hand up.

“I know you hate me, Sierra. And I don’t blame you. I hate myself, too. I have since that night. But you have to understand that I was protecting you from me and some very bad men.”

“All I understand is the woman who was supposed to be my mother took me to church on Christmas Eve and left me there. I waited for you throughout the entire service. I was five years old!” I shouted, tears streaming down my face. “You never came back! You never came back!” I ran up the stairs.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Sierra

I sat on the bed, hugging my knees, sobbing and shaking. The bedroom door opened, and Jack walked in.

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