Page 67 of Her Courage

I bit my lip to keep from laughing at Kaleb's expression—pure mortification mixed with resignation. Andrei had moved away from the window, a rare smile tugging at his lips as he watched the scene unfold.

"How about," Colby interjected diplomatically, "we save that particular conversation for another time and focus on why Kaleb called you here?"

Sierra's expression sobered immediately. "Right. You mentioned Mom."

Kaleb's arm tightened around me. "Let's sit down. This isn't... it's not an easy conversation."

We all settled—Kaleb and I on the sofa, his sisters on the loveseat across from us. Andrei remained standing, positioning himself between our group and the door. Colby took the armchair, his presence a steady anchor.

"Mom's been arrested," Kaleb said without preamble.

Monica's face went carefully blank. Sierra gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"What?" Sierra whispered. "When? Why?"

"Last week," Kaleb continued, his voice steady despite the tension radiating from his body. "She attempted to extort money from me by threatening Lottie."

"She did what?" Sierra's voice cracked.

Monica leaned forward, her analytical mask slipping to reveal genuine shock. "Start from the beginning. Tell us everything."

So he did.

He told them about Patrice's arrival at the house. The verbal abuse she'd hurled at me. The subsequent email threats about exposing our relationship. The meeting in the park where she'd threatened me—with a gun—demanding two million dollars in forty-eight hours.

And finally, this afternoon's poisoning attempt.

The sisters listened in complete silence, their faces growing progressively paler with each revelation.

When Kaleb finished, the quiet stretched so long I wondered if either of them would speak at all.

Finally, Sierra stood. She crossed to Kaleb and wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her cheek against his shoulder blade.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "Kale, I had no idea she'd escalated this far. I knew things were bad with the debt but not—not this."

Monica remained seated, her fingers laced together so tightly her knuckles had gone white. "The attempted poisoning. Do the police know what was in the drinks?"

Andrei finally spoke, his accent thick. "Not yet. Should have results tomorrow."

"Good." Monica's jaw set in a hard line that reminded me startlingly of Kaleb. "I want to know exactly what charges she'll face."

The protective fury in her voice surprised me. For someone who'd supposedly been Team Patrice until recently, she'd switched sides with remarkable speed.

As if reading my thoughts, Monica's eyes met mine. "I'm not blind, Ms. Alexander. Our mother has... issues. Issues I've been making excuses for. But threatening you? Attempting to poison my brother and the people he loves?" She shook her head. "No. That's where I draw the line."

"It's just Lottie," I said quietly. "And thank you."

Her expression softened slightly. "You make him happy. I can see it in his face—something I haven't seen in a long time. That's all that matters."

Sierra finally released Kaleb, moving to plop down beside me on the sofa. She grabbed my hands, squeezing them.

"The relationship thing," she began, a mischievous glint entering her eyes despite the serious conversation we'd just had. "I really am curious though. Like, how does it even work? Do you all⁠—"

"Sierra!" Kaleb's voice hit a pitch I'd never heard from him.

"What?" She laughed, the sound slightly hysterical. "You can't drop a bomb like 'I'm in a relationship with three people' and not expect questions!"

"This is neither the time nor the place," Kaleb said firmly, his face flaming.