Chapter 43
Sayla
My pond was the most perfect pond on the planet.
Okay, having a rich Daddy had helped.
There were fish, lily pads and long lush greenery shooting up from the water. Pebbles, rocks and even a water feature that made me need to pee a little.
All I needed were a few frogs or toads to start breeding so they could come back every year. I checked daily for frogs or eggs but I knew I’d missed the breeding season.
My family would be visiting soon. I doubted Maya would be impressed by my pond. Elias might feign interest for a few seconds. I tossed a small pebble into the water. They weren’t angry at all. Only concerned.
Well, Maya had berated me for not trusting her. But to be honest, I knew she’d have hunted Gabriel down—and he might have hurt her. I thought Callum was scared of her too, so perhaps she’d have come out on top.
“Found any frogs yet?” Daddy said as he walked across the lawn.
“If you were an actual frog expert you’d know we might not see any until next year,” I said, twisting around for my kiss.
He reached me.
Soft lips landed on mine.
The fuck-me aftershave hit next.
“How about we get you some ornament frogs for now?”
“And scare away the real ones?” I scoffed.
He chuckled as he sat on the grass beside me.
“How’s your pussy doing?”
So good. But Daddy already had a big head so I shrugged.
“Fine.”
He took my hand and held it, weaving his fingers through mine.
“It’s better than fine, Princess.”
It might only be a few weeks before I found out if I was pregnant. That fact would burn Gabriel and I couldn’t wait.
I leaned into Daddy.
He raised my hand and gently kissed it.
My insides might be pulverised, but Daddy always kissed me better.
?
?
?
My eyes kept returning to my dad speaking to Daddy. They were relaxed, cordial—and I could tell my dad was grateful that Daddy had kept Gabriel away from me in a way that others couldn’t. Not the police. Not sanctuaries.
Maya nudged me.
“You’re banging the old man, aren’t you?”
“Maya!” my mum screeched.
She was still a wee cow.
Elias bit into another canapé and every one of them turned to look at Daddy Asher before staring at me.
“For a house like this, you’d be asking if the grandad was alive,” I said dryly, patting my poor mum’s shoulder.
“You’re not wrong. For a house like this, I don’t even think Callum would mind,” Maya snickered.
My mum downed her champagne in one go like a truly adapted Irish woman.
“I am banging the old man,” I declared. “Had I known this Kersey first I’d have never married Gabriel.”
Everyone turned to look at Daddy again.
“Some mileage on him, but I bet he knows a thing or two in the sack,” Maya concluded.
Mum sighed and reached for another drink.
Elias gagged.
God damn. It was good to have my family back.
?
?
?
“I can’t believe this is your bedroom,” Maya said, her eyes moving over everything with undisguised awe. When she lifted my frog from the dresser I nearly launched myself across the room.
She stared at me for a moment then carefully placed Fredrick back in his rightful spot. She wandered the length of the room before settling into the window seat, pulling her knees up the way she always had since we were children.
“It’s very—Victorian,” she said, staring at the ceiling.
“I love it. He had it decorated for me ages ago.”
Her head snapped back to me.
“Sounds a bit creepy when you put it like that.”
“He grows on you,” I shrugged.
She glanced at Pandora sitting in the middle of the bed. Something shifted in her expression—the teasing gone, replaced by something quieter.
“Are you alright?”
No humour. Just that particular Maya sadness she only ever showed when no one else was looking.
“I am now. I just kept sinking deeper and deeper until I couldn’t make sense of anything anymore. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“Yeah.” She was quiet for a moment. “It took me a while to process your letter.”
A beat.
“By the way. Who the fuck writes letters in this day and age?”
“If you were banging an old man you wouldn’t be asking that right now,” I snickered.
And just like that everything went back to normal.
Well. As normal as my family could be.