Written with Regret (The Regret Duet #1)(22)

“I didn’t have to change it. She was never yours to name.”

Her mouth fell open, but she didn’t have time to get a word out before the cops rounded the side of my house.

Taking a step away, I shot her a smile. “Perfect timing. Maybe these guys can get you to talk.”

She flicked her gaze to the approaching officers, not appearing the least bit surprised that they’d been called.

“Talk? Is that what you want?” She took a step toward me. “Because short of demanding that I give you my name, you’ve been too busy running your mouth for me to talk at all.” She took another step toward me. “My name is Hadley Banks. And I know you hate me for what you think I did to our daughter. But the fact that you love her enough to be this angry proves that I did something right. So, before this goes any further, let me be very clear. I’m not here to take her from you.”

I should have laughed. It was such an absurd statement. The woman was about to be arrested for theft and child abandonment. She was in no position to be taking anything from anyone. But to my ears and to my heart, it was a threat all the same.

“You will never take her from me!” I roared.

“I just want to know her!” she roared right back, her wild greens locked with my feral blues.

The cops jogged over, stepping between us, one shoving at my chest as the other guided her back a few steps.

I had so much I wanted to say to that woman. What I thought of her. Where she could shove her bullshit. The fact that I would bury her before ever letting her take my daughter. But as badly as I wanted to unload the years of hatred, rational thinking hit. I needed her as far away from Rosalee as I could get her.

“I want her off my property. Now,” I snarled.

“Okay. Let’s calm down for a minute,” the cop urged, but I was way past that.

“No. I’ll follow you to the station. Whatever you need me to do. But that woman is wanted on multiple charges and I’d like to add trespassing and attempted kidnapping to the list.”

“Kidnapping?” Hadley gasped, leaning around the cop. “I didn’t try to kidnap her. Officer, I simply asked her what she wanted for her birthday. I never even touched her.”

There were other words spoken.

By the officer in front of me.

By the officer in front of her.

By Hadley.

But I said nothing else.

Because when I tore my gaze from the green eyes I hated more than anything in the world, I saw an identical pair staring back at me as Rosalee fought like hell against Ian’s attempts to drag her away from the window.





CAVEN


Thirty minutes after the party had started, the last of the guests were trickling out the front door while Rosalee cried in my arms. I’d tried to get people to stay, all but begging a few of the parents, but three cop cars, six officers, and a screaming match in my backyard had really killed the vibe.

The cops had been ecstatic when I’d stomped away, leaving them alone outside with Hadley. One of them had followed me inside, but I’d only had eyes for my daughter.

The good news was, when she’d seen the police outside, she’d thought one of them was my brother, Trent. Just the year before during a visit to Pennsylvania, where he was the chief of police, he’d taken her for a ride in a cruiser, letting her play with the lights and siren.

The bad news was that she’d seen enough out the window to know that Trent wasn’t there and that Daddy was really mad.

By the time I’d reached her, peeling her out of Ian’s arms, she was scared and had a dozen questions, including wanting to know what the “nice lady” had done wrong.

I’d lied—because it seemed that was all I ever did—and told her that the police needed the nice lady’s help with something as they escorted Hadley to their car. Covering for that woman felt like a gut shot, but I made peace with it because I’d lied for Rosalee’s sake, not Hadley’s. There was no way I was explaining what she had done wrong until I had some solid answers of my own. Hopefully, all of which would lead to her skipping town again and me never having to tell Rosalee anything about her at all.

After calling the cops, Ian had phoned my attorney. God bless Doug. He was there in thirty minutes and spoke to the police on my behalf, explaining our situation, while I split time between losing my shit in my bedroom and consoling Rosalee with the promise of another party.

From the moment I saw Hadley until the moment I had her car towed from my driveway, the entire ordeal lasted under two hours. But the hell of Hadley’s return was just getting started.

“Four hours,” Doug said, swirling a glass of scotch.

It was now past nine. Alejandra had cooked us all a dinner we didn’t touch and bathed Rosalee before leaving. She’d offered to let my girl spend the night with her in the guesthouse, but after the day we’d had, I felt better keeping her close.

This turned out to be the best decision, because only four hours after her surprise return, Hadley Banks was released from police custody.

“How is that possible?” I asked as I paced my kitchen. “They just fucking let her go?”

Ian walked past me to the fridge and pulled out two beers. He handed one to me then resumed his position on the barstool next to Doug. “Keep it down. Rosie’s still awake.”

I tipped the beer up for a long pull, but it was going to take a tranquilizer dart to get me to calm down.