“Sarah worked for me briefly for maybe two years while you were in the States, but she was the best maid I’d ever had. I could trust her with anything, and I did. Good people, that one. When she left here, I thought itwas for a better opportunity, but then Addabelle invited me over for tea, and Sarah was there, large and very pregnant.”
My brows furrow. "I'm not understanding.”
Mother stammers a bit, getting flustered. “I… I believe Alice may be your half-sister. Or, not really your sister at all, seeing as Derek is your real father.”
My jaw drops to my chest. “WHAT?! What in the Jerry Springer is my life?”
“Sabrina—”
“I KNEW IT!” I stand up and flutter about. “I knew I didn't get these hips from Father's side of the family.” I shudder. “Ghastly, those Winters. Your hips are so slim—”
“-Thank you—”
“-And Derek has feminine hips—”
“Don’t say that out loud or to his face; he’s very peculiar about his hips.”
“They’re lovely. I just wear them better. And howeagerhe was once you got married to get to know me, but it seemed as though he already knew me—all the signs were there. My god, Mum. What a time to tell me.”
“They are very nice hips. I like grabbing them during—” She stops when I grimace then sighs. “I’m very sorry this is how you found out. Christ, I’m making a mess of things. Sit down, please, you’re making me nervous.”
I sit.
“I believe Sarah was carrying on an affair with your—David—” she corrects herself, “—and left when she realized he wasn’t going to leave me for a… a maid, which honestly, I would have understood. Sarah was a lovely woman. I was a nightmare to be around.”
“You weren’t a nightmare. You were just… miserable. Everyone could see it.”
“I was miserable. The only thing that kept me alive those years was you, Charlie, and secret rendezvous with the love of my life." She bites her lower lip. “Christ, I hope Charlie didn’t go thinking I didn’t want to be around him. You two were—are—my light.”
“Oh, Mum,” I shake my head. “Charlie wanted you to leave the old sod. As much as he adored David and wanted to follow in his footsteps, he knew there were things in adult relationships we didn’t understand at that time. But we both wanted you happy. I’m just sad he had to go for you to find your happiness.”
She blinks back the tears and makes a motion with her hand as though she’s willing them to go away and out of existence. “Well, that’s not what I came here for at all. I thought the day I told you it would be over aglass of wine with Derek present. So many times we wanted to tell you, but it never felt like the right time.”
I shake my head. “With or without Derek, I’m glad you told me. But now this Alice woman. Mum,” I say, but I’m looking directly at Parker as I say it. “She said she was tied to the Ainsworths for some reason. We need to get her out of here, too. She’s petite. Brown eyes. Blonde. Keeps her hair in a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She’s hard to miss.”
He dips his chin once as Mum’s eyes scan the room over my shoulder. If anyone were behind me or partially eavesdropping, either of them would have said or done something to give me a clue. She clears her throat and lowers her voice just a tad bit again to barely above a whisper and leans closer to me. “Seeing as that’s out of the way, the boys will be here within the hour. You’re staying?”
“I leave with Maksim or not at all.”
“Sabrina—” Parker’s voice is rough, filled with want and a layer of protection.
“I know you want to keep me safe, I know you want me away from the danger, but I have to be here. I have to slaughter Kane, and I need to leave this prison with my husband in my arms.”
Mother makes a noise in the back of her throat. I feel my back straighten and my shoulders square back.
“Mrs. Barclay…” Kane’s voice is filled with a type of malice I haven’t heard in such a long time. It slides down my back like cold slime and makes my stomach go topsy-turvy.
I swallow down the bile just as Mother stands to greet him. “Kane, how lovely to see you.”
I stand up and face him, flashing him another pretty smile, and I hear a barely discernible low growl leave Parker when Kane’s arm goes about my waist. “Kane, Mama was just here checking in on me. Seems she’s been trying to get ahold of me, but there’s no reception on my phone. Otherwise I would have communicated that I was just fine here with you." I nuzzle into him. He smells bitter.
I grin wickedly as the hold he has on my waist turns into a pinch. I do my best not to grimace, but Parker glowers, jaw flexing when he catches the movement. I try to move, but all it does is twist my skin beneath the fabric. Christ, I’m already itchy everywhere, this is just making it feel as though my flesh is being torn apart fiber by fiber and bleeding.
“Well, you aren’t a prisoner here, darling. You could have used the phones.”
I lift a brow and look up at him. “Didn’t know there were landlines,” I lie.
But his eyes are dulling, and his pupils are widening. My brain goes on high alert as a memory snakes its way from the recesses of my mind tothe forefront. I’ve seen Kane like this before. A long time ago. When Charlie was still alive. When he pulverized someone for touching me. Then I saw it again on That Night. My brain is screaming for me to run. DANGER! it blares. The hives are crawling, and I want to scream. I don't know how much longer I can hold on. I’m going to fucking snap. I try my very hardest to control my breathing, but the pain is rising. In fact, under the hot flare of pain, I think Kane is pinching harder.
