tic shovel, eyes focused on the mini fort he was building. His curly hair bounced

ound each other as she watched her son play. Every few s

she s

he still looked like he walked straight out of a magazin

few feet from

and met h

e," she said quietly.

dry. "I've imagined this

et's hope it goes better

but said nothing. He too

, squinting. "Mommy?" he

, sweetie, this is Adrian. He's

owly. "Hi, Cale

in the air like

But... I don't have a dadd

fli

t you. I wasn't around before, and that's my fault. But I'

he wisdom only children poss

eart swelling. "

d this. "What's

rian answer

a smile. "Okay

s forgotten. Leah watched, stunned, as the most ruthless man she'd ever known picked

years, she saw somet

oed around them. When Leah finally called Caleb f

whispered, watching his

trembled. "He

le

rian murmured. "I'll neve

lied. "But maybe... if you're sinc

ant

ng. I saw the scars, Adrian. On your body. In your eyes. You'

es darkening. "I'd burn the w

f that comforted h

-

That

se study, staring at a mani

ents. Someone's been watching her. A black seda

lenched. "Some

rom your fa

em. Both of them. I do

the file

as a blu

Cal

d laser dot on

s pulse thundered, anger igniting beneath his skin. Whoev

uncomfortably. "Shou

Caleb. We'll handle this quietly. Secure every place they go. Doub

s,

ged. The weight of being a father was heavier than he'd e

hone

ld me his new favorite dinosaur

mile crept acro

-Rex rules the kingdom. J

reply for a

e you. I just hope the

hardened. It won't.

cked drawer. Inside was a sealed enve

was time to reopen wounds. The Devereux name had always been a double-edged sw

meone from the past w

t just be his life at sta

-

in Leah's

k his curls as he slept soundly. The in

pinged. Ad

k tomorrow. Somewhere

ed at th

here

words suddenly f

-