Page 5 of Ashes

“Why would Cleo have a say in it?Belladonna is Sarah’s dog.”

I could see the frustration in his eyes.

“The dog lives with Cleo,” he replied tightly.

“No, she doesn’t!”Sarah told him, not letting go of Belladonna’s neck.“Grandmother only kept her a week, and she hated having her there.Belladonna lives with Oaky.”

Clearly, Wilder hadn’t been aware of that.Shouldn’t he know things like this about his daughter?Was he so wrapped up in his work and building his company that he’d missed something as important as this?Belladonna was Sarah’s best friend.

“I see.Yes, of course Belladonna can come with us,” he replied.

Sarah sniffled, and I dropped my gaze back to her.She was burying her face in Belladonna’s fur.I wasn’t sure if it was tears of sadness or joy.She’d been through a lot this week.

I lowered myself to my knees as Sarah looked up at me.I cupped her face in my hands.“It’s okay to cry.You don’t have to hide that.Don’t try.Cry, Buttercup.Be sad.Be angry.Let it all out.Your dad will listen.He’ll understand.Call me if you want to.I’ll listen.I’ll be there in five hours if you need me.Just don’t try to do this alone.Promise me that,” I urged her.

She nodded and sniffled as a tear rolled down her cheek.I brushed it aside with my thumb, then kissed where it had been.

“You’re going to have happy days again.They’ll come.Just you wait.Belladonna will be right there, reminding you of things that make you happy.But remember, she’s a terrible bed buddy.”

“I love you,” she whispered, and I pulled her to me, fighting my own tears.

“I love you most,” I replied.

The screen door slamming startled me, and I stiffened as I lifted my gaze to see Cleo striding into the house.Her determined gaze went from Sarah and me to Wilder.I could see the fire in her eyes, and I was glad I’d beaten her here.She would do more damage than had already been done with her behavior.Cleo was selfish.She was nothing like my mother had been.I never understood how my father had fallen in love with her after having loved someone as wonderful as my mom.

“You see what you’re doing to her?”Cleo accused, glaring at Wilder.“She’s lost her mother, and you’re just snatching her up and taking off with her.This is her home!”

“Cleo, don’t,” I warned, feeling Sarah’s body tense as we both stood up.

She swung her gaze to me with that wild look in it.The one that reminded me of Sylvia.“What?You’re going to argue with that?Just look at my poor granddaughter.Clinging to you as a lifeline.You aren’t even her blood.You hated her mother!”

“CLEO,” I said more firmly.“Don’t do this.”

Belladonna started to growl.

Cleo threw up her arms.“What would you have me do?Let him run off with my granddaughter?He left Sylvia when she needed him.Left her.And you of all people shouldn’t be taking his side.He used you.Messed your head up so bad that you’ve turned down three marriage proposals in the past nine years.You turned down a sinfully richShephard!Do not tell me that you are going to take his side now.He never loved you.He never wanted you.So, wake up, Oakley!”

I had turned down five marriage proposals, but she would never know that.

Sarah held me tighter and buried her face in my chest while Belladonna moved in front of us as if she felt the threat or attack.I ran my hand over her back, trying to calm her as she continued to make a low rumble in her chest.Belladonna had never hurt anyone, but I wasn’t so sure Cleo was safe.

Addressing the past with my stepmother didn’t help anything.She loved reminding me that Wilder had chosen Sylvia over me.Even after the disaster their marriage had been, she gloated over the fact that Sylvia was the one he loved.She always relished the idea of hurting me.She had been doing it since I was ten years old and she had married my dad.The thought that I might be prettier, smarter, better than Sylvia in any way was something she never accepted.She also went out of her way to make sure I never believed it either.

My insecurities ran deep.The two other adults in this room with me had cemented that.No amount of marriage proposals could fix the damage done.Sure, Sebastian Shephard had claimed he loved me and asked me to marry him, but he didn’t really know me.None of them did.I had never allowed another man close enough to know me.I kept the important part of my heart locked up tight.At least where men were concerned.

The one man I had let know me hadn’t wanted me in the end.That held a power over me that nothing else could penetrate.Cleo and Sylvia had done their damage to my heart long before Wilder walked into my life.Even my dad had managed to not stand up for me.He had let me down too.It was a painful thing to know your own father hadn’t chosen you.Perhaps that was where the deterioration began.Regardless, my ability to trust was beyond flawed.

“This is about what is best for Sarah.Please see that,” I begged, unable to even look at Wilder.

Having Cleo drag up the past in front of him was humiliating.She’d only done it once before.Several Christmases ago, when Sylvia had gone off the rails again and Sarah called Wilder to come get her.When he showed up at my parents’ on Christmas Eve to pick up Sarah, Cleo had been furious.Sylvia said to let her go, and I stood by that decision.Which had led Cleo to accuse me of siding with him because I couldn’t get over him.

“Sarah is a child who has lost her mother!”Cleo shouted.“She needs her home.Her family.She has to mourn.”

Sarah released me then and stepped back as she looked at her grandmother.Then, she turned and hurried over to her father.I watched as she wrapped her arms around him, and he held her close to his side.Swinging my gaze to Cleo, I stood there, ready to do whatever interference was needed to get her out of this house.Belladonna looked torn as she swung her gaze from me to Sarah.She wanted to protect us both.I nodded my head at her, and she slowly went to Sarah, understanding what I was telling her.

“I want to go with my dad!”Sarah shouted.

“You’re upset.You belong here, Sarah!Your mother would want you here.With us.Your family.The ones who didn’t abandon you!”

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