Be My Hero (Forbidden Men #3)(106)

"Did you find him?"

I drew in a breath. "Not yet."

From the bed, Reese rose and hurried to collect Skylar from her cradle. I didn't even have to ask her, she simply bundled the sleeping infant into her car seat and then gathered up the diaper bag for us. After she nodded at me, letting me know she'd follow with the kid, I carried Eva from the room and out to my car. She didn't protest, which was good, because I didn't have any fight left inside me.

When we made it home, we put Skylar in the crib. She looked extra small in there by herself. Then we went to the front room and sat on the couch to wait. Pressed up against her and holding her hand, I squeezed Eva's fingers.

"Thank you for fighting for him," I finally said.

She didn't answer, just leaned her cheek on my shoulder and quietly cried, waiting through the rest of the night with me.

***



Two days passed. The two longest days of my life.

I didn't work, rarely ate, and only slept in spurts because I'd always jerk awake with a new idea of where I could look for Tristy. But she was never anywhere I searched. Reports came back to me from people who'd seen her with a baby, but I always just missed them by the time I got there.

At the beginning of the third day, my cell phone rang at two in the morning. I was instantly awake to answer the unlisted number. Next to me, Eva bolted upright and flipped on the bedside lamp, her eyes wide and alert.

"Hello?" I rushed out. Please be Tristy, please be Tristy, please—

"P-Pick?" Tristy's hoarse voice sounded scared and uncertain, but it made me sob out my relief.

"Oh God. Oh, thank God. Tris, where are you? Is Julian okay?"

"Julian?" she sneered after a loud sniff. "All you care about is Julian, isn't it? You used to ask if I was okay."

"Christ, Tristy. You abandoned him here, your own son. You f*cking left him with me to take care of. So I did. Can you blame me for growing to love him? For worrying about him? Why did you take him?"

"Because he's mine! Why shouldn't I take him back? He's my kid. You annulled our marriage."

"I annulled the marriage because you took off. Now, where are you? I'll come to you, and we can talk, face to face." When she didn't answer, I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. "Tris, please. You scared the shit out of me. These last few days, not knowing where you were, not knowing what was happening to him, they've been the worst few days of my life. Just . . . talk to me. Please . . . Tell me where you are."

"I don't believe you," she said in a hoarse voice. "See, I don't believe that's why you stopped our marriage at all."

"What?" I shook my head, utterly confused. "You're not making any sense. Why are you doing this? Where are you? Why did you leave without even talking to me first?"

"Because of that blonde slut you had in your apartment, that's why."

My gaze shot to Tink. She chewed on a thumbnail as she watched me, her blue eyes wide with worry. "What?" she mouthed.

I shook my head and returned my attention to Tris. "What about her?" I asked cautiously.

"Who was she? And why was she taking care of my son?"

"She was taking care of your son that you abandoned because she's the babysitter."

Eva sat up straighter, her thumb dropping from her mouth as she realized she was being brought into the conversation.

"I thought Mrs. Rojas was watching him."

"The Rojas got sick. I had to hire someone else. Why should this upset you? Are you saying you suddenly care what happens to him, after you f*cking left him alone? It was hours before I found him that day. Jesus, Tristy, how could you do that? He's not alone now, is he? Is he there with you? Is he okay?"

"He's fine," she muttered dismissively, "and I still think you're lying. I think she's a hell of a lot more than just the babysitter."

I hissed out a curse and rubbed at a spot on the center of my forehead that was beginning to ache. "Why are we even talking about this? Are you telling me you f*cking took Julian away from me because of Eva?"

Eva gasped and set her hand against her heart. Tears immediately welled in her eyes. I reached out and grabbed her fingers hard, letting her know she'd done absolutely nothing wrong.

"She told me she was your Tinker Bell."

Except maybe that.

Damn it. I squeezed my eyes closed.

I didn't let go of Eva's hand though. All she'd done was tell Tris the truth. I couldn't fault her for that. Tristy would've just come up with some other reason to overreact. She always did.

"Yeah," I said, letting go of Eva so I could climb off the bed and pace the room. "Yes, she is. So what? How does that affect anything? You left."

She sniffed. "So, it's true, then? You found her. You really found the girl that witch told you was your one true love?"

My throat went dry. Why I hated talking about this with Tristy, I don't know why, but I did. I detested it.

With a nod, I gave the rusty answer. "Yes. I did."

Her sniffles turned into full-fledged sobs. "So, it's all going to come true. You're going to go off and live with her in your perfect little happily ever after in your perfect f*cking house with the green lawn. And I'm going to die, young and alone."