Page 96 of All Our Secrets

Damn it, Theo. I knew he’d eventually terrify her. She was so scared, she’d run out in the rain with her infant son. To. Her. Fucking. SUV.

Peyton tried to soothe the baby while still crying herself. The longer it took for them to calm down, the more it seemed the ground crumbled beneath my feet. I shook with anger and a desperate need to make it all better. I fucking hated seeing them upset.

“How…” She hiccupped.

Standing in the open door, I blocked the rain so they didn’t get wet. “Peyton, baby, what’s wrong?”

“How did you get here…” She trailed off, peering at me with big, teary eyes. “I didn’t get a chance to call, but you’re here.”

“That doesn’t matter. Tell me what happened? Why are you out here in the pouring rain when you should both be asleep?”

Her gaze snapped to the house.

“Did someone bother you?” I pressed. “Stay here. I’m going to go check inside.”

“No.” She latched on to my drenched hoody. “No one’s there. It’swhathappened that scares me. Silas, I could feel my hair moving, then I looked over, and the strands werefloating.”

“It’s okay.” I squeezed her hand gently. “Run to my truck and wait while I check. There’s a blanket to warm you up.”

Her eyes widened, a warmth softening them as she tugged at my hand. “Silas, you haven’t. How long have you been out here again? How many nights?”

So now she knew I hadn’t left her.

“How can I leave you alone when you don’t even pay attention to who’s parked in your driveway?”

Her bottom lip trembled, andthatproved to be my limit. I saw all I could of her tears. It was time to give her comfort so my heart could be at peace.

“Get to my truck. I’ll be back after I check the house.”

She listened and dashed in the direction of my vehicle. I turned for the house. In her hurry, Peyton had left the front door wide open. Theodore stood there with his arms hanging at his sides.

I glared and stalked forward.

Theodore let me make it up the stairs before he said, “You’re not welcome here anymore, remember?”

His hand shot out, slipping through me and my hoody. I didn’t feel his touch, but I did lose my balance. My boots thudded against the wood a couple of times before I righted myself.

I scoffed. “You really want to throw me again with Peyton watching? She’s already terrified. She’ll never step foot in her own home again if you give her another reason to be afraid.”

Theodore’s jaw tightened before he huffed and stepped aside to let me in. “You shouldn’t keep lurking outside the house.”

I gritted my teeth as I shut the door behind me so Peyton couldn’t see me. “What are you thinking?” I seethed. “You’retouchingher. She told me about her hair moving.”

Theodore threw one arm out. “I’m trying to communicate with her!”

“God, I wish you were alive. I’d kick your ass.”

“If I were alive, you wouldn’t be anywhere near my wife.”

“She’s a widow. And why is that? If I remember correctly, I was about to tell her who I was before you passed away.”

He laughed, but the sound was full of ridicule. “You think that would have mattered? You abandoned her, you big chicken shit.”

I lunged for Theodore and slipped through him. My palms slapped the wall. He cackled again.

“I never left her.” I scowled. “Thanks to you marrying Peyton, she was closer. In my circle of friends, right where I knew she was safe and sound. You think I would have stood by all these years if she were mistreated?” Theodore was no longer smiling, so I went on. “You’re lucky you never did her wrong, because I really would have killed you.”

Theodore ran his fingers through his transparent hair. “Of course I treated her right. She’s my wife, and I love her.”

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