Page 90 of A Twist of Poison

He just smirked, so like his son. I could see why he and Valerie were happily married, plus it didn’t hurt that he worshipped the ground she walked on.

“So that’s what they’re involved in?” I muttered, thinking back to the time where I asked Hollis how they’d all changed and hardened into tougher versions, and he point blank told me he couldn’t and wouldn’t tell me. It aggravated me, but I shoved it away thinking I was fine with it. A mini weight had been taken off my shoulders with that new information, it hadn’t been his decision to make, to tell me. I respected him for that now.

“Yes, so now you know. Is there anything you need to ask me?” I shook my head. I’d been filled in over the past few days. “Okay, you’re welcome here as long as you like. We’ve got your sister covered, staying with trusted friends while your dad is in recovery.”

“Mom?” I asked.

Valerie and Chris shared a look.

“She’s not around,” Valerie said carefully.

I blew out a breath, pushing away what that meant. “It doesn’t matter.”

God… Delaney. I’d have to speak with dad to get his input on how we dealt with and explain all this away. Because it would be well known news that none of us could hide from.

“I know the boys have wanted to speak to you and see you, but they’re actually being half patient in waiting for you to go to them,” Valerie interjected. “Maybe you should air your differences with them sooner rather than later. It’s sometimes best to lay it all on the table.”

“I’ll speak to them later,” I resolved.

Chris cleared his throat. “There’s actually something I need to confess.” He glanced at Val then back at me. I waited. “A little person is downstairs, he’s been waiting until you were ready to see him.”

My eyes widened. It couldn’t be. “You’re lying.”

I knew they’d captured Adam, and I assumed his guardians had fled with Kai. The first thing I planned to do was find out where my son was.

“Not lying Milla. We had to do a DNA test and I apologise for that, but we needed to know.” Somehow, I wasn’t even angry.

I jumped from the bed, and sprinted downstairs. Chris and Val directed me to the room. I came to a sudden stop at the doorway opening. My feet were leaden as I blinked at the impossible sight before me. Kai.

“He doesn’t know me,” I choked out, with painful resignation as I gripped the doorframe. “I’m a stranger to him…”

“No better time to introduce yourself then,” Val replied nonplussed.

I swivelled round to meet her eyes and voiced my fear. “What if he doesn’t like me?”

“Part of being a parent to a child at whatever age is realising that at times, they won’t like you. But you love them hard, become their stability and stand in their corner. Once he gets to know you, he’ll love his mom something fierce.” She glanced at Kai, her features softening. “Parenting isn’t easy. Take it one day at a time, you have to get to know him too.”

“Hey Kai,” I ventured, walking slowly towards him. He sat on the couch next to one of Chris and Val’s staff members. She gave me a kind smile, patted him on the head, stood up and walked from the room making herself scarce.

My son. Jesus, how was he sitting before me? He was here, and so beautiful. I blinked repeatedly wondering whether I’d wake up but no. It wasreal.

“Mommy!” He smiled a toothy grin, launching himself at me. I stood frozen for a moment not knowing what to do with this bundle of joy. I hadn’t been expecting him to know me, let alone act like this. I shook the feeling off, and detached him from my legs. I plonked down on the floor, pulled him against my body and hugged him. I buried my head in his mop of mahogany hair and breathed him in for the first time since he was born.He was here.

“You know I’m your mom?” I questioned, my voice shaking. He turned his body around towards me, looking at me funny, as if he was trying to figure me out.

“Daddy showed me you.”

He must have meant in pictures. Oh, sweet boy.

“Your mommy was trapped somewhere, Kai. And needed rescuing before she could see you,” Val helpfully cut in, saving me from an awkward explanation that a three-year-old wouldn’t understand.

“Stay with me?” he asked, voice trembling.

“I won’t ever leave you. I’m so sorry—” My voice cracked. Tears freely tracked down my face.Jesus, I was most definitely a crier these days. “—that I wasn’t around. I promise I will be from now on. Okay?” I smiled through the tears and held my pinkie finger out to him. He stared at it baffled.

I linked my pinkie finger with his, gently tightening them together. “This is a pinkie promise. It is theultimatepromise in the whole wide world. This means I can never ever go back on my word. We’ll be spending a whole lot of time with each other.”

He smiled, a slight dimple popping in one cheek. “Can I have a snack?”

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