Page 30 of Destined Bear
CHAPTER 9
VIVIENNE
Mom is angry about the move and furious that I made the decision without asking her.
“I don’t want to leave my house!” she argues. “This is where I live!”
“Circe, it’s for everyone’s safety,” Emeric tells her firmly as I pack up our things we’ll need for the temporary relocation.
Millie’s dark eyes dart nervously around, her panicked expression taking in every inch of the bedroom as if she’s memorizing it.
Huffing, Mom glowers at me. “Millie is coming, too!”
“Of course.” Emeric’s eyes shoot toward the live-in nurse.
I cast her a sly sidelong look. “Are you coming too, Millie?”
She balks at the pointed question and swallows thickly. “I… I don’t know.”
“You don’t?” Emeric studies her closely. “There’s no medical staff at the ranch. Circe will need someone to look after her, and you’re the obvious choice since she’s comfortable with you. Of course, the healers Vivienne approved will still be stopping in, but she really needs full-time care.”
I’m not entirely sure that it’s a good idea to bring Millie with us, but Emeric convinced me. It’s better to keep her close, so we know what she’s doing.
Millie pales more, and for a second, I think she’s going to flee the house.
Emeric steps closer to her. “Do you have a reason for not wanting to come to my ranch, Millie?”
She shakes her head. “No.” Her voice is so low, I have to strain to hear it.
“Good. Pack your things. We’re leaving in an hour.”
He nods at one of the enforcers who joined us on the trip. “Go with her and help.”
“I don’t need help,” Millie protests, but the enforcer follows, anyway.
Mom scowls at us. “This is about her, isn’t it? About Millie? This is about all that nonsense you were touting the other day.”
“This is aboutyou,” I correct her. “And keeping you safe.”
“Iamsafe. You can’t just…” All this fighting is taking too much out of her. She sinks back against the pillows, her eyes drooping. “This isn’t the way to do this.”
“Rest, Mom. I’ll come get you after we’re all packed up.”
I zip up the suitcases and give Emeric a warning look, leading him out into the hallway and out of everyone’s earshot.
“She’s going to be miserable at your place,” I warn him as we step outside. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
Emeric shakes his head vehemently. “It’s too late to change your mind now. Millie knows we’re up to something. She’ll tell Seline or whoever else they’re working with.”
“She’ll do that anyway.”
“Let her. Once you’re both secured at the ranch. They aren’t getting to you there. I swear that on my own life.”
I believe him, but I still frown, my mind working overtime. “Come on, Viv. We don’t have time to be second-guessingourselves now. This needs to be done. We’ve already put the plan into action.”
He’s right this time, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m making a mistake by agreeing to this.
Emeric sets us up in the most beautiful suite in the ranch house, but it doesn’t please Mom. He could have given her the entire ranch, and it wouldn’t have been good enough for Circe.
