Page 59 of Shelter (The Wanderers 4)

“What are you talking about?” Storm asked.

Braylon met Rush’s confused gaze again. “How many people were you with?”

“Two at the time. I was traveling with Stuart on our way to the clinic where I used to work. One of the guys—Advic—from the clinic coincidentally was headed our way. We ended up at the same outpost. The soldiers saw the pack of medical supplies and asked if one of us was a doctor. I told them it was me, even though Advic is also a doctor. They took me at gunpoint.”

Braylon couldn’t sit any longer. He pushed to his feet and started pacing. “Jesus.”

“What’s wrong?” Riggs asked.

“Those soldiers didn’t care that Rush was a medic. They lied.”

“What do you mean?” Haley asked.

Braylon drew in a deep breath. “They had orders from my mother to find a man who looked like me. They took Rush to that holding cell three months ago just in case Haley didn’t conceive fast enough. My mother had a timeline in her mind. She wanted an heir, and she set a date for six months. The moment that day came, she didn’t want to start looking for a suitable replacement. She already had him.”

“How do you know that?” Riggs asked, coming to his feet to join his best friend.

“Three months ago was the day those two soldiers came to the estate,” he reminded Riggs.

“I remember that day. You sure it was three months ago?”

Braylon nodded. “Positive. I can’t believe I didn’t piece all of this together sooner.” He turned to face the rest of them. He’d told Riggs all of this at the time. “I came home from work for lunch that day because I was worried about Haley. I saw the extra vehicle outside and then heard voices in the library when I entered. I would have just walked by and headed for the stairs, but something about my mother’s hushed voice stopped me in my tracks outside the open doorway.”

Riggs gasped. “Shit. You’re right. I remember you came back and told me what you’d heard.”

“What was it?” Rush asked.

“One of the soldiers said, ‘We’ve found someone. We’ll hold him for three months in our facility and then bring him here.’”

Haley gasped and grabbed Rush’s hand.

Braylon felt sick to his stomach as he faced Rush. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea what my mother had in mind. She never once told me I was on a time schedule until the day you were brought to the house. I had no warning. If I’d known she would kidnap another man and force him to donate sperm to impregnate Haley, I would have made damn sure she got pregnant before now.”

“I remember those men too,” Storm admitted. “I was upstairs on guard duty, but I heard their voices and came to the balcony to see them standing in the foyer as they were leaving. They were in official state uniforms.”

“I’m not sure my father ever had anything to do with any of this,” Braylon realized out loud.

“Now that you mention it,” Riggs pointed out, “I’m not sure he ever knew. Perhaps your mother hoped he would think the heir was his blood relative.”

Braylon ran a hand over his hair. “You may be right.” He turned toward Rush again. “I can’t possibly express how sorry I am.”

Rush frowned. “None of this is your fault. You didn’t send anyone to kidnap a lookalike. Your mother did.”

“I should have paid closer attention. I should have asked more questions. I knew she was hoping for an heir soon, but I had no clue her timeline was so damn short. I assumed we had time. And the longer we went on pretending we were having sex, the harder it became to actually do so.”

“Why was that?” Rush asked as he flipped his hand over and threaded his fingers with Haley’s. The two of them were holding on to each other as if their lives depended on it. They shared a bond none of the rest of them would ever fully grasp. They were both victims, parents of a child they didn’t ask for.

It was Haley who answered. “Because of Riggs and Storm,” she said softly, looking at Braylon. “Because you didn’t want to claim me without including them.”

Braylon nodded. He’d already made this point earlier, but he understood why Rush would still be confused and surprised. Hell, they all were. “It wouldn’t have been right. But it certainly would have been the better option if I’d known another man would be kidnapped and held in a jail cell for months simply because I hadn’t had sex with my wife.”

Rush released Haley to stand and grip Braylon’s shoulder. “It’s done. It’s in the past. We can’t change it. I’m not even sure I would if I could, to be honest.” He glanced around at everyone. “If I hadn’t looked like you and been kidnapped, I never would have met any of you. And…” His gaze landed on Haley’s last.

Rush didn’t finish his sentence, but he didn’t have to. Braylon knew what he was thinking. They all did.

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