Chapter 20
By the time they went back inside, Craig had excused himself to the library where he remained until Zane arrived with Daniel.
Craig’s brother was much paler than the last time Tabitha had seen him.
When Craig appeared from the back of the house, Daniel sucked in a breath, his shoulders slumping.
Craig crossed the room to get to him, but Daniel kept his eyes on the floor.
Craig took Daniel by the arm. “Come on, Brother. We need to talk.”
Daniel’s head snapped up. “Wh-what? No. I’m your uncle.”
Craig sighed. “They know who we are. That’s part of what we need to talk about. Are you hungry? Gregor’s cooking supper, but we can get you a snack.”
Daniel looked around. “Who’s Gregor? And why are you being nice to me?”
Craig ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck. Tabitha almost felt sorry for him. “It was recently brought to my attention that I might not know you as well as I should considering we’re brothers. I’d like for us to talk privately. Now, are you hungry?”
“No. I had a snack on the plane. I could go for a drink though.”
“Do you think that’s—”
Tabitha cleared her throat and gave Craig a pointed look. Craig nodded. “What would you like to drink?”
“I’d love some sweet tea if you have it. If not, water would be fine.”
“We have tea. Craig? Would you like something?” Tessa offered.
“I’m good for now. Thank you, Tessa.”
“One sweet tea, coming right up.”
Daniel looked between Tessa and Tabitha. “Sisters?”
“No, she’s my mother. She just looks young.”
“You weren’t kidding about that?” Craig asked. “And Gregor? He’s really your father?”
“He is. Come on. Let’s get out of the doorway.
” Tabitha led them toward the kitchen while Major and Zane remained to speak quietly.
Tabitha took the glass from her mom and handed it over to Daniel.
“Take all the time you need. Dad’s cooking supper, but if you aren’t finished talking by the time it’s ready, we’ll keep a plate warm for you. ”
“Thank you, Tabitha.” Craig inclined his head to his brother, and the two disappeared down the hallway toward the library.
Major and Zane moved from the front of the house and met the others in the kitchen. “Zane West, this is Tabitha Stone and her parents, Gregor and Tessa. I’m not sure if you two ever met Rev and Bethany, but they’re Zane’s parents.”
Gregor stepped forward to shake Zane’s hand. “We’ve never had the pleasure of meeting them, though we have heard about them. Good to meet you, Son.”
Zane grasped Gregor’s hand, then bowed his head slightly to Tessa. “The pleasure’s mine. And Tabitha, I feel like I already know you. This one hasn’t shut up about you since you stopped by the office.” Zane thumped Major on the stomach with the back of his hand.
Instead of being embarrassed, Major shrugged. “What can I say? She made an impression, and now I know why. She’s my mate.”
Zane gripped Major’s shoulder. “That’s wonderful. Congratulations.”
“Would you like something to drink?” Tessa offered.
“Beer if you have it.” Zane moved farther into the kitchen and took the bottle from Tessa when she handed it over. She then retrieved one for the rest of them.
“Give us your perspective of Daniel,” Tabitha requested.
Zane took a long pull off his beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“That is one sad human. I almost felt bad for voicing him, but I needed to know the whole truth in case it helped figure out who’s after Craig.
Not only did he lose Carmen and their baby, but he lost his first love and child all those years ago.
Hell, if I were him, I’d be a drunk, bitter man too.
One thing Brad Campbell’s foster brother got wrong is that Daniel never told Carmen anything but the truth, or the truth as society knows it.
He didn’t pretend to be Craig, and she never assumed he was.
She told him the first time they met she could tell the difference, and she thought he was the more handsome of the two. ”
Major wrapped his free arm around Tabitha’s waist. “Then why did Carmen tell Toby the baby’s father was someone famous?”
Tabitha bumped her mate’s hip. “She didn’t say famous. She said important. There’s a big difference.”
“Yes, you’re right. I wonder why he never told Craig he was in a relationship.”
Zane waved his bottle in the direction of the library. “He said he was afraid Craig would let it slip to their parents that he’d found happiness, and their father would take Carmen away from him the way he did his first girlfriend and child.”
Major tensed. “He might have a point. I overheard Craig talking to their father on the phone at the rental in Stone Mountain. He told their father that he was acting stranger than usual, and Tabby and I assumed he was referring to Daniel. Their father reminded Craig it was his responsibility to keep Daniel in line.”
Tabitha downed half her beer and expelled a small burp.
“Their father knows. Craig called him yesterday to ask if he had contacts in the States that could help with Cabretti, and he’d admitted that Daniel had gotten someone pregnant.
I don’t think Craig would have told him if he knew how much Carmen meant to Daniel. ”
“Are you sure about that?” Major asked. “He’s been pissed all these years that he’s been Daniel’s caretaker. Daniel’s the reason Craig had to change his identity and move to a new country.”
“True, but look at Craig’s life. He’s living the dream.”
Tessa set her empty bottle on the island and leaned her forearms on the granite.
“He might be an A-list actor, but that man is not happy. While you and Major were outside, Craig admitted that he and Olivia have been trying to start a family for years. They’ve tried IVF a couple of times, but each time it failed.
I think he looks at his brother who, in Craig’s words, is a fuck-up, and has managed to get not one but two women pregnant.
Then you have Craig, a successful actor, and his wife, a successful doctor, and they can’t have what they want most in the world. ”
Tabitha leaned into Major, seeking her mate’s comfort. “Okay, so Craig’s bitter, but that still doesn’t answer who is after him.”
“Can we definitely rule out Cabretti?” Zane asked.
“Yes.” Tabitha explained the timing of the tracker imbedded under Craig’s skin as well as the anonymous phone call to the editor of ESN.
“Craig has been in the States for twenty years. That’s plenty of time to piss someone off, giving whoever it is the opportunity to watch him.
Learn his schedule. Pay people to do things like install a tracker and follow him. ”
“But why now?” Tessa asked. “If what you’re thinking is correct, and it is someone from his past, why wait until now?”
Gregor pulled something delicious-smelling out of the oven, so Tabitha began gathering plates and silverware.
They had never been ones to transfer food from the cooking pans to bowls for the table unless it was a family gathering.
The vegetables were warming on the stove, and he placed his savory sheet pan glazed meatloaf on the counter beside them before removing some baked macaroni and cheese from the top oven.
Tessa found serving utensils, and they all filled their plates, taking them to the larger table where they wouldn’t be crowded.
Tabitha’s stomach rumbled at all the yummy goodness waiting for it.
She had sorely missed her dad’s cooking.
Neither Kilbrook brother joined them, so Tabitha fixed two plates and covered them with plastic wrap, leaving them on the counter.
She had reached out to eavesdrop earlier since they weren’t yelling at one another.
She took it as a good sign until she heard one of them sobbing.
She assumed it was Daniel considering he was the one who’d lost his little family.
Zane brought in his go bag from his vehicle while Tabitha and her own family discussed what they were going to do to pass the time.
When Zane entered the house, his phone was at his ear, and his face was serious.
“I’ll call you later.” He shoved the device in his back pocket as he walked into the room.
“Everything okay?” Major asked.
“Yeah, just my sister being a brat.” Zane continued through the house and returned a few minutes later.
They invited him to play a few rounds of poker, and Zane grabbed everyone a fresh beer before sitting.
They had been at it a couple of hours when Craig emerged from the library.
He went to the kitchen and heated one of the plates.
When he was finished, he went to his bedroom and closed the door.
Tabitha folded her current hand and excused herself to check on Daniel.
She knocked on the partially closed library door before sticking her head in. “Hey, Daniel.” His eyes were bloodshot, but at least he’d stopped crying. “Can I get you anything?”
“Do you have a time machine?”
Tabitha entered the room and took the seat next to his. “Unfortunately, no. I’m really sorry for your loss.”