For a moment, I just watch him exist. Take note of his expressions and the way he breathes.
This is the body Calder chose to put between me and my family. The hands meant to escort her. The mouth meant to say her name.
That was never going to happen.
I hate Keira for what she did. For the lies. For the silence. For hiding my son and carving me out of his life like I was disposable. The hatred sits deep and hot and doesn't go away.
But it doesn't change the truth.
She's still mine.
Mine to hunt.
Mine to ruin.
Mine to save.
Mine to take back piece by piece until there's nothing left of the asshole who thought he could keep her.
I'm so close now I can taste it.
The floorboard creaks beneath my weight and Henri hears it. He turns just enough to register the shape of me, but I'm already behind him.
His neck snaps with a sharp crack, barely disturbing the room as his body goes completely limp. The television keeps talking as I let him slump forward onto the couch, head lolling to the side like he just dozed off.
I pull out my phone and snap a photo of his face. Then I grab him by the collar and drag him toward the bathroom, his dead weight scraping across the floor.
The bathtub will do.
And in less than twenty-four hours, I'm walking onto that tarmac in Lyon wearing his name, his face, his life.
SIXTEEN
KEIRA
It's been a few long days since the last incident and, thankfully, I haven't run into Ewan or been forced to eat dinner with him. My mornings feel a little less heavy, and my mind is finally clearing enough that I can start plotting our escape.
Hale is already awake when I open his door.
He sits cross-legged on his bed, hair still wild from sleep, looking down at a book on his lap. He's not reading, but he loves to pretend and make up his own version of the story based on the pictures.
He looks up when he hears me and smiles like he's been waiting all morning to see me.
That smile is what keeps me going every single day.
I cross the room and kneel in front of him, smoothing his hair back with my fingers. He smells like soap and sleep and something sweet I can never name but love so intensely.
"Good morning, my love bug. How did you sleep?"
He nuzzles into me. "Good, Mommy. I missed you."
"I always miss you."
He smiles and I give him a kiss on the cheek.
"Listen, I have to go into town for a little bit. Just running someerrands, but I'll be back before your lessons are done this morning."
He deflates immediately. "With him? Can I come too?"
