“Look, kid, I’ve been doing this long enough to know what I’m doing. Your ruckus and bad attitude are what will get this little girl killed.”

Oh, shit.

Keiran was on him before he could finish. Before anyone could know what would happen, Keiran brought one of the hospital chairs down on the investigator’s head and proceeded to beat him over the head repeatedly until he was a crumpled mess in the corner of the room.

It took every hand to pull him away. Surprisingly, it was Keenan who managed to subdue him well enough to keep Keiran from killing the man.

My attention was diverted by a nurse entering the room to see about all the commotion and quickly dashed back out likely to call for help or the police or both.

“Keiran!” Lake yelled. She was crying hysterically. I hadn’t realized how fast my own heart was beating until the machine I was hooked up to started to sound. My hands clutched the sheets while I willed my trembling to stop.

If Keiran reacted this strongly for Kennedy when she was only his niece, how would Keenan react when he found out she was his daughter?

It took another few moments for me to realize that everyone but my mom had exited the room. Vick had just managed to pick up his unconscious partner and carry him out of the room.

“Where did everyone go?”

“Your father and John took Keiran to cool down. Keenan and Lake followed after them.”

“This is bad. Who are those guys? They don’t work for dad.”

“No, but your dad’s men are tied up with something else, and these were the only investigators we could find on short notice.”

“Something else? That’s it? Dad only uses the best. Are you saying my daughter—your granddaughter—isn’t more important?”

“It’s not like that, Sheldon.” My mother’s lips tightened in anger. Her perfected features seemed distorted and almost ugly as she glared down at me.

“Let me guess… business?” It was always business. Business always came before us unless there was legal trouble they needed to clean up. We couldn’t and shouldn’t ever tarnish the family image.

“How dare you speak to me this way.”

“Whatever, mother. I get it. My daughter may not have her grandparents on her side, but she has me…” I paused when a thought hit me like a Mack truck. “Would you prefer it if she were never found? Would her disappearance salvage the family name and image?”

“Sheldon Chambers, where is this coming from?”

“You and Dad have made no attempts to keep secret that you hate Kennedy for being illegitimate.”

“I don’t hate my grandchild. How dare you!”

“No, but you resent her. You hate me for having her.”

“We always wanted better for you, Sheldon. I never supported you dating that boy, and then you insult us further by having his child. His family members are nothing more than common criminals hiding behind their stolen wealth. If you ask me, they should just let their family line die with those young boys.”

“You are a piece of work, Mom. Does Dad feel this way as well?”

“Of course. Your Dad and I have worked hard to give you and Dasher the best life has to offer. Then you spit in our faces by choosing trash.”

“So why bother to help Keiran when he managed to get in trouble?”

“Because if we didn’t, then your brother, as naively loyal as he is, would have done so himself. We couldn’t risk our name being entangled in his mess.”

“You cannot continue to choose our life for us. You have no right.”

“We have every right, Sheldon. As long as you carry our name, you will act accordingly.”

The low, dangerous growl from the door stopped me from really letting her have it. “Well, maybe it’s time she stopped carrying your name.”

I sunk back into the pillows, wishing I could just disappear. I chewed on my lip in anguish, wondering how much he heard.

“And whose should she carry?” my mother scoffed. “Yours?”

“It would serve her right,” Keenan replied with a smirk.

What the hell did he mean by that?

  “I don’t think so.” My mother watched him as if he were little more than a bug she would like to crush under her expensive pumps.

“It’s funny that you look at me as if I’m trash, but your daughter is the one to have a kid out of wedlock.”

Pain shot through my chest while my stomach twisted in knots at the demeaning way he spoke of me. I knew his comment was meant as much for me as it was for my mother.

“I’m almost sorry I missed your desperate attempt to salvage your royal ass of a name.”

My mom and Keenan had always been polite with each other in the past. I had even believed for a long time that they approved of him despite our rocky relationship. It wasn’t until I’d gotten pregnant and Keenan took off that they had been open about their dislike.

I needed to diffuse this situation and fast. “Keenan, stop. Mom—”

“You seem to be severely misinformed if you think you can look down on my daughter when it was you who got her in trouble.”

Oh, fuck.

Already, I could see the wheels turning in Keenan’s head as he pieced together exactly what my mom was saying.

“Mom, now is not the time. Keenan, there is something I have to tell you, but it can’t be now. Not here.”

“Come again?” Keenan demanded, ignoring my plea.

“Kennedy is three years old. Do the math.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

KEENAN

“SHE’S ONLY THREE,” the troll emphasized as if I were a moron. In a way, I guess I was if I didn’t figure it out from the start. If Melissa’s attempt was to knock me on my ass, she succeeded.

Three.

Three years.

Three fucking years old.

I wouldn’t even insult my intelligence by doing the math.

Kennedy was mine.

Mine.

And this bitch had hidden her from me.

I knew I was the one to run away, but I didn’t need to question if Sheldon would have ever told me. I could tell by the glances she was casting, the nervous stutter, and her pale complexion.

She didn’t want me to know.

Did I even want to know?

When I agreed to return home, I planned for it to only be temporary. I would have done anything not to ever see Sheldon and had every intention of slipping away the first chance I got and disappearing for another four years.

I never expected to return home to face her as the mother of my child. My missing child.

Two men filed in the room while I was struggling to find the words to unfuck this fucked up situation.

This time it was two detectives from the FBI who were here to question Sheldon. I wondered if they might have found something if they were back this soon.

I listened carefully while Sheldon went over details with the detectives, but the rigidness of her spine told me she was very much aware of me. Even now, she watched me from the corner of her eye.

To fuck with her, I moved closer to the bed and let my hand drift down to grip the railing. Her small gasp was barely audible, but I caught it. I reveled in the idea of making her uncomfortable. Involuntarily, I envisioned restraining her to the rails and making her beg for forgiveness and mercy. When my cock twitched, I mentally scolded myself. Now was not the time, but soon it would be. It was the only promise, other than finding the daughter I never got to know.

I had warned her, and now I could make good on the promise I made four years ago. I didn’t realize until this moment that it was exactly what I had wanted. I just needed the perfect alibi.

“She’s mine?” I told myself I would wait until I caught her alone, but it flew out of the window along with my restraint.

I didn’t realize she was crying until her head whipped around. Her amber eyes were filled with pain and fear, and for the first time, I felt remorse.