Marjory’s cheeks were turning red in spots. “It was you.”
“What was me?” I snapped at her, needing this distraction to be over so I could go and see my girl.
“You had me followed… you had the pictures taken.”
“Mom?” Selena called from inside the private suite.
Marjory stormed away from me. I followed. The nurse was waiting.
“We are going to have the doctor come and assess her, then send her for x-rays?—”
“Good. Check everything. If her hand hurts, I want everything checked from bones to cuticles, got it? We’ll be here,” I said to the nurse and all but pushed her out the door. It felt like Marjory was about to blow, from her expression, and I didn’t want anyone around.
“What’s going on?” Selena asked.
“You’ll be happy to know that your wish is coming true.” Marjory sniffed, locking tearful eyes on her daughter. “You don’t have to live with the Sinclairs anymore.”
“What?” Both Selena and I asked at the same time.
Marjory blinked her tears back. “I’m getting divorced, and you can thank him for it.” She turned an accusing finger toward me.
Fuck.It was happening already? It was exactly what I’d planned to happen, and yet, when Selena turned her shining, violet-blue eyes toward me, my chest felt hollow.
“He had me followed, contrived evidence against me, and then used it to?—”
“That’s not true,” I interrupted. “I didn’t contrive evidence. I compiled it. You were the one sneaking around behind my father’s back.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Marjory accused. “You just couldn’t wait to get us out of your family. Well, you gotyour wish, and thanks to the prenup, who knows what we’ll be left with. Forget about nice hospital rooms and Cici’s school?—”
“Mom!” Selena’s voice cut through Marjory’s rising hysteria. “I can’t talk about this right now—my head is splitting,” she finished quietly.
“We’ll let you rest,” I said, firm, disgusted at Marjory for choosing now of all times to bring up her relationship issues.
Just then there was a knock, and a nurse and doctor appeared. I wanted to wait and hear what was said, but the doctor asked the visitors to step out. Marjory stalked out, her face pinched. I approached Selena and kissed her cheek.
“I’ll be right outside,” I told her.
She nodded and looked up at me steadily. “Did you really have my mom followed?”
I blew out a breath, on the spot and feeling like utter shit. “It started before we did.”
She nodded slowly, considering me. Then she looked at the doctor, and I felt that dismissal in my soul.
“If you could step out, Mr. Sinclair,” the doctor said more forcefully this time.
Selena didn’t argue with him. She wanted me gone. It hurt, but it was deserved. I’d been going behind her back. That always stung. Still, soon she’d see it was for her own good. We needed to not be related anymore. End of story. She’d understand that, when she wasn’t so tired and overwhelmed.
She would, or I’d do my damnedest to convince her.
My resolve was ironclad… so why did it feel like I might lose everything?
I turned and left the room.
Brody
Marjory stormedinto the house half an hour later, banging doors and fuming at me with non-too-subtle looks.
“What’s going on?” Cal asked, sitting at the kitchen island. He’d eaten half a sandwich.
