Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“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 rich Shephard! 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!”
That was it. I couldn’t allow her to say anything more. Her words would only get more vile and cruel. She hated it when anyone went against what she wanted. She was used to getting her way. Sylvia had gotten that from her.