Fernando was driving Terrell to the airport, the city blurring past their windows.
“So, Terrell,” he asked with a smile, “do you want a little sister or a little brother?”
He couldn’t help picturing Blanche, heavily pregnant, waiting for them at the base gates. The thought filled him with excitement, as if he were the one about to become a father.
“A sister,” Terrell answered sweetly, pulling a doll from his backpack.
“A sister, huh? Good choice. She’ll be just as beautiful and gentle as your mom.” Every time Fernando mentioned “your mom” to Terrell, his heart skipped a beat, as if Laney were truly his wife.
“Dad-”
Terrell’s eyes widened in alarm. He suddenly shouted, staring ahead.
Fernando snapped back to attention just in time to see a huge truck looming in front of them.
He jerked the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes. The car crashed into the guardrail, airbags exploding in a rush of white. The impact was so fierce that Fernando blacked out instantly.
When Fernando came to, he was lying on a bed in an unfamiliar room.
He could hear Terrell’s small, earnest voice.
“Where’s your mom?”
“My mom lives in a really pretty big house.”
“Who else is there?”
“Lots of aunts and uncles.”
“And these toys and clothes–who are they for?”
“They’re for my mom…”
“Terrell!” Fernando’s head was pounding, but he forced himself up and staggered toward the door, desperate to stop Terrell from saying more.
Terrell’s face lit up when he saw his father awake, and he ran over, throwing his arms around Fernando.
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But Fernando was furlous. He snatched the lollipop from Terrell’s hand and tossed It in the trash. “How many times have I told you? Don’t take candy from strangers, and don’t talk to people you don’t know.”
“Dad!” Terrell’s face crumpled, tears welling up as he muttered, “But that man’s Healy’s dad. He rescued you when he drove by.”
Fernando shot a cold look at Eddy–no warmth in his eyes at all. His lips curled into a tight, polite smile. “Thank you, Mr. Simmons.”
Only now did he realize that this wasn’t a hospital.
Eddy had always been unstable since Laney left. Just recently, he’d sent his own father, Jacob, to the hospital over some flowers Laney had planted; now Jacob was facing charges, but Eddy was completely unscathed.
Fernando had no idea what Eddy might do. The thought made him uneasy.
“I have things to take care of. I’ll be leaving with Terrell now,” Fernando said, anxious that if they stayed any longer, Terrell might spill everything to Eddy.
“Not so fast.” Eddy gave a cold nod to the bodyguard by the door. “I want a word with Professor Reese.”
Immediately, the bodyguard pulled out a drone and some robot toys to distract Terrell. “Hey, Terrell, want to play with us? Let’s give your dad and Mr. Simmons a
moment to talk.”
Terrell’s eyes sparkled with longing, and he glanced at Fernando.
Fernando looked out the window and saw more than a dozen bodyguards lining the hallway. There was no way they were getting out of here easily–not with Terrell in
tow.
If he were alone, he could fight his way out if he had to. But with Terrell here…
Rumor had it Eddy had even thrown his own children into foster care. A man with that kind of cruelty might do anything–to anyone.
“Go on,” Fernando told Terrell, voice low and firm. “Don’t talk too much, and don’t eat anything unless I say it’s okay.”
Terrell nodded and let the bodyguard lead him away.
The door shut, plunging the room into silence.
“Hand over my wife!” Eddy’s eyes were dark with dangerous intent, his voice cold as ice.
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I told you even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell your
It’s not just that you know. You’ve hidden her, and now she’s carrying your child! Eddy swept his arm across the coffee table, sending baby supplies tumbling to Fernando’s feet.
The thought of Laney pregnant with another man’s child made Eddy’s fury boil over. He coughed up blood, wiping it away with a trembling hand, but he didn’t seem to
care.
Fernando stood his ground. “Nothing happened between Laney and me. We’re
innocent.”
“We’re not like you,” he shot back, voice full of scorn. “You look like a decent man, but you’re rotten to the core. You had a gentle, loving wife like Laney, and you still cheated, betrayed her, even had a child out of wedlock.”
“And you expected Laney to raise your secret daughter, too? What kind of person does that make you?” Fernando’s anger exploded. He grabbed Eddy by the collar and shoved him hard, not backing down an inch.
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