A devouring beast.
Fangs sinking all the way to bone.
How long did I pray for that? Beg and plead and cry out to the emptiness of the night? Nothing but a beggar on his knees, willing to give up anything for his daughter’s life to be whole. Fulfilled. For her to never feel an ounce of the betrayal that I’d worn around like a second skin.
And there was her mom. Without my permission, my gaze moved back to the open door. To my kid. I’d always done what was best for her. Problem was, right then I had no clue what that was. What was right.
“Not sure I can give you that kind of chance, Janel.”
“She’s my daughter.”
“Who you abandoned,” I bit out, voice muted so Frankie couldn’t hear.
A sob tore from her. A loud, guttural moan. “I’m so sorry,” she whimpered. “So sorry. I’ll do anything to make it up to her. Anything. Please give me a chance. I just need to see my daughter.”
33
Rynna
Istumbled into my house, drawing in big, sucking breaths. Trying to keep it together when I already knew that was impossible.
Janel.
Janel.
Rex.
Frankie.
Oh God.
Agony sliced through my being, cutting me in two. Clutching Milo to my chest, I tipped my head back toward the ceiling. Tears slicked down my face and dripped into my hair.
Why?
Why did life have to be so cruel? Fate twisted. Warped and perverted.
I set Milo on his feet and frantically dug in my bag to find my phone. Uncontrollably, my hands shook when I tried to find Macy’s contact. Finally, I managed to push send. It rang twice before her groggy voice came onto the line. “Hello?”
It was three hours earlier there. No doubt, I’d pulled her from sleep. But I needed her. Had no one else to turn to. Sorrow wrenched from me on panted, shattered cries. No words but the tumble of frenzied, horrified confusion that gripped my mind.
“Ryn...is that you?” I could picture her shaking herself out of the haze of sleep. Panic surged into her voice. “Ryn, what’s wrong? Tell me what happened.”
“She’s here.” It was a whimper.
“Who?” she demanded before she caught on. Silence eclipsed the flood of worry that had been rolling from her mouth. “Shit,” she muttered. “Where’d you run into her?”
“She’s...” I struggled to find the explanation, choking over the revulsion at even having to say it. “She’s Frankie’s mom.”
A moan slipped from my tongue.
“Oh God, Rynna...sweetheart...shit. I’m so sorry.”
“I can’t believe it,” I whispered.
Rex. The man I’d lost myself to.
She’d belonged to him. I couldn’t stomach it. The picture of her touching him. Of him touching her.
