He glances over at Talon. “I don’t think I can do it.”
“Max has a daughter. Talon has a daughter. Do what you need to do to convince them. But they need to be gone now. And no one can know Gemma is here.” How are we going to hide her? How could he have survived? I saw her lunging at him with a knife right before I escaped. He can’t still be alive. She can’t be alive. “Give me Gemma, please.”
“You can take her. But we aren’t leaving.” Talon makes those words into a threat.
“Think of Hope. Of Milia.”
“All my daughters are important. And you became one the minute my son claimed you as his. You think about that while they take care of this little girl.” Talon lifts Gemma off his shoulders.
All the little girl’s focus is on the cookie in her hands.
Time to make sure this little girl’s medical needs are seen too.
***
Twenty minutes later, Temperance walks into the exam room.
Gemma fell asleep in my arms about five minutes ago.
“That’s Gemma?” She pitches her voice low to not disturb the child.
“Yeah.”
“How’s she doing?”
About as good as can be expected for a child who’s been starved, beaten, and branded to control her mother. “They’re running some blood tests right now, but the doctor’s biggest concern is malnutrition.”
Temperance sits down next to me. “And how are you doing?”
Losing my mind. “I’ll survive.” I always do, regardless of what’s happening.
“Talon said you believe this might be Daria’s niece.”
Believe. “No. I don’t believe it. I know it.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Other than looking at her and the brand on her back, it’s her name. Gemma was going to be my imaginary daughter’s name. Daria’s sister was the only one who knew that. She told me if she ever had a child, she would name her Gemma.” I failed my best friend once, but I’m not going to fail her again.
Not The Nonna
Max
“Are you sure this is the place?” Everett stares at the cracked walls and dirty tile floors with disgust.
The smell is the worst. “This is a government-funded nursing home. The care provided meets minimum standards at best.” At worst, it’s a place where old people go to be ignored and die. This seems like one of the worst.
“You’re a billionaire, and she lives here?”
“Yup.” The smell of vomit and feces is enough to turn my stomach. Why did I eat before coming here?
Because your woman cooked for you.
“It feels wrong to leave a human being here.” Everett shudders and gags a little bit.
“She might not be here long.” We stop in front of the door Dad wrote down on the paper for us. “Are you sure you want to come in?”
“I want to know more about my mother.”
