Page 56 of Inked in Devotion

And as if Renée heard me, a streak of lightning flashed right outside the window. I jumped. Usually, my instincts would make me run to a safe space like a bathroom, but this…Kolya comforting me with Sebastian between us, I’d never felt more secure. They were becoming my anchor in this storm and my tumultuous past.

“Come here.” Kolya slung an arm around me and held me close. He kissed the top of my head. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

I swallowed. “I was nineteen when Renée missed a birthday call. I didn’t think much of it. I was busy with college, and I’d gotten used to her absence after four years. Then Christmas came and went with no word from her. Dora couldn’t reach her, either.”

“Surely, Bruce…”

“Bruce lost touch with her, too. He even paid up her apartment’s rent for six months. She just disappeared.”

“You think Esther finally got to your mother?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been gathering up the nerve to ask Theo to let me talk to Jeremiah.”

“You think Jeremiah did it?”

“It fits his MO, don’t you think?” Mistress. Could my mother have been a victim?

“Have you asked Theo directly?”

“I have. That day we went to rescue Aralina from Jeremiah?”

“What did he say?”

“He didn’t answer me.”

“But not since?”

“No. I was more concerned—” I glanced away.

“About me finding out about Sebastian.”

“I was going to tell you anyway,” I said. “I was never on board with hiding a baby’s existence from the father unless they proved to be a danger to them.”

Kolya chuckled. “Like when you thought I was a serial killer.”

I angled my body away to stare at him. “I didn’t know whether I was more relieved or worried when I heard you’d been cleared of all charges.”

“What if you didn’t have King’s backing, would you have told me?”

“I would have found a way,” I said honestly.

I relaxed against him while the tempestuous weather gusted outside. Kolya was the only person besides Dora to whom I’d relayed the events of the night.

Finally, when the storm subsided and Sebastian had been fed and bathed, we both put him to bed in the nursery. Dora moved out yesterday, and we set up Seb’s crib in the vacated room.

It was sparse.

All he had was the crib in the corner with the mobile. There was no use primping up the room if we weren’t staying here permanently.

Kolya and I stood side by side as we stared down at our boy. “I don’t know how long we’re going to stay here. Do you?” I asked. “Has Maksim said anything?”

Kolya shook his head.

I didn’t want to wake Sebastian with our whispering, so I exited the nursery. Kolya followed. When we were in front of the kitchen, I said, “I really want stability for Sebastian, and I’m failing miserably.”

“Hey.” Kolya cupped my face. His hand was warm and reassuring, and I found myself turning toward the tender gesture and closing my eyes briefly.

When I opened them, it was to witness the fierce look in his that sent a fluttering of wings low in my belly.