Chapter 22: Hidden Heir: Chapter 22

“Mommy, Mommy!” Tiff sprints across the patio and throws herself against my legs, her hair flying about her face and her eyes wide. “Look what I found!”

Abandoning the sketches in front of me, Tiffany gets my full attention. “What is it, sweetheart?” Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, I look down at her cradled hands.

“You ready?” Tiff whispers as she looks up at me with a grin.

I nod and fully brace myself for the alarming presence of a spider. Instead, Tiffany uncurls her fingers and reveals a ladybug nestled in her palm. “I’m gonna call her Dotty and we’ll be friends forever!”

“Aww, how sweet!” My heart pulses in relief. No spiders.

“Can I keep her?”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. Ladybugs like to be outside in the garden so it might not be the best idea.”

“What if we take the garden inside?”

“How about you choose a plant to keep her on? One of those over there.” I point at the potted plants that sit near the steps leading into the house. “You can come out and see her any time you like.”

“Hmm.” Tiff’s face scrunches up as she thinks it over.

“She can build a house there and be safe, so you might not always see her but she will definitely be there.” I don’t have the heart to tell her that ladybugs can fly and that her new friend will likely do that the first chance it gets.

“Okay,” Tiffany agrees. She hurries over to a fern near the door, crouches down, and lets the ladybug crawl from her fingers to a leaf. Then she stays there, perched and staring as the bug crawls further into the plant.

Chuckling to myself, I keep one eye on her and return to what I was working on. I’ve spent the past few days considering the future. Leon is taking good care of me and Tiffany, and the space he’s given me has allowed me time to process what happened to Hannah. With Leon taking care of the money owed and my debt now being to him, I want to do something in honor of Hannah. A memorial of some kind. So, I’ve been drawing up ideas for a new flower shop where I can incorporate Hannah’s name and with Leon’s backing, ensure that all money raised from that business goes to helping those in need.

It’s not much, but it’s the only way I can think of to make up for how she died. Ensuring that every dime I make from here on out goes toward helping and saving people is the least I can do. I haven’t approached Leon with my ideas yet as such a plan will require his help in securing a new store and set up costs. Given how I belong to him now, I can think of a few sexy ways to get his approval.

On the table before me sits several drawings of shop designs, flowers I’d like to incorporate, and several name ideas. No single idea feels right quite yet but I’m in no rush. It’s the next step in my new future, and despite the darkness that prompted it, I’m excited.

I miss my flowers. My Instagram account is flooded with concerned messages after the fire, along with a few angry ones from a certain bride, so I want to get back to what I do best. Surrounding myself with something I love, giving Tiffany a vibrant future, and having a man like Leon by my side is like an impossible dream born out of a nightmare.

If only Ant weren’t such a prick. I tell myself that his bad attitude is simply because he’s being weaned off of those drugs, but one thing missing from Leon’s great sobriety plan is making Ant apologize for his shitty actions. Day after day he’s in the same foul mood.

I’m starting to wonder if this is how my brother really is and I just haven’t seen it until now. Every day he makes some smartass comment about this place, or Leon, ever since he caught us kissing in the hallway. Ant seems utterly blind to how much Leon is helping save his life, and I’m not sure how much of it is withdrawal and how much is just his personality. For years, I sought to rescue the brother I remembered, but those are memories from when I was too little to truly understand. That brother doesn’t seem to exist anymore.

Maybe he never did. Maybe that’s the trick of looking back at a dark childhood with rose-tinted glasses. My only saving grace is that Tiffany will never experience a childhood like I did.

Lost in thought, I roughly sketch out another display idea. I then write out several flowers I’d love to put front and center at the shop. The ideas flow like a fountain until a shadow falls over my page, blocking out the sun. Glancing up, I meet Selina’s eyes with a warm smile.

“Afternoon.”

“What’s this?” She lightly touches some of the papers, adjusting them for a better angle.

“It’s nothing.”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“Promise you won’t laugh?”

Selina lazily reclines in the chair next to me. “Promise.”

“They’re just random ideas for a new flower shop. I’ve never been one to just sit around so I’m hoping Leon will allow me to get back to what I love now that I’m going to be here permanently. I’m so happy about that. My daughter and I are safe.”

“Why would I laugh?” Selina squints at me. “You have passion. I admire that.”

Heat warms my cheeks. “Thanks. I don’t know. I guess it sort of feels dumb when I say it out loud.”

“Has someone ever made you feel dumb for having this kind of passion?” She lifts one dark brow.

My thoughts turn immediately to Ant and I shrug. “Maybe.”

“Well, I think it’s a cool idea. You’re young. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. I’m confident Leon will be more than happy to help you get started and get you anything you want. That man is smitten. Though, don’t tell him I told you that. I like my head where it is.”

“Smitten, huh?” I lean back in my chair, feeling the heat in my cheeks deepening. “I won’t say a word.”

“Mommy!” Tiffany suddenly sprints toward me and latches onto my leg as the door leading into the house opens. A man strides out, leaning on his cane. He’s flanked by a couple of guards who I rarely see around the house. My heart jumps and I quickly pull Tiffany into my lap. Beside me, Selina tenses like a board.

It’s Kreik, Leon’s father.

“Leonity isn’t here,” Selina says immediately.

“I know,” Kreik replies shortly. His mustache twitches on his upper lip as he walks toward us.

His presence is alarming. I’ve only seen him around a few times, yet each time he was visibly and vocally unhappy about my being here. Having him here without Leon frightens me, and my arms tighten around Tiffany as she buries her face into my neck.

“I’m looking for you.” Kreik stops in front of me. My senses are flooded with the sharp aftershave he drenched himself in. “Are you busy?”

I want to hide my drawings and designs from his sharp glare. Tension tightens in my gut, and as we eye each other, I’m suddenly jerked back to school, where I’m waiting for a scolding from a scary teacher.

This feels the exact same.

“No,” I reply quickly. “How can I help?” I can’t imagine there’s anything in the world that Kreik would want from me.

“Get dressed,” he says. “We will collect Leon and have a family dinner together.”

A family dinner?

I look at Selina who, despite her usual calm features, appears as shocked as I feel. She locks eyes with me and subtly lifts her brows.

A family dinner with Leon and his father. Does this mean he’s finally warming up to me? It’s difficult to tell what his intentions are and I stare after Kreik as he walks back to the house.

“Don’t bring the child,” he says as he reaches the door.

My defenses immediately flare and I clutch her to my chest. “Her name is Tiffany. If this is a family dinner then she’s very much included.”

“We will be discussing things no child should hear,” Kreik remarks, turning back to me. “She’s only a sprout after all.”

If we were on friendly terms I’d assume he was making a flower joke. His words don’t earn a smile from me though, only a pulse of curiosity. Maybe he’s serious about us getting to know each other and I should give him the benefit of the doubt.

Kreik disappears into the house but leaves one of his guards stationed with us.

“I can watch her,” Selina says, nodding to Tiffany who relaxes a bit now that Kreik is gone.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” Selina leans forward and briefly tickles Tiff’s stomach, earning a few soft giggles. “We can have a picnic for dinner. How does that sound?”

Getting into a car with Kreik is oddly terrifying. Unsure of the dress code, I chose a simple green dress with a flared skirt from the closet of infinite clothes Leon provided for me. They were a gift because I’d turned up here with so little, and he’d explained that because he had no idea what I liked to wear, he provided everything from a catalog. There are more clothes in there than I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s like I have my own personal clothing store and I appreciate his generosity.

I settle into the seat, watching the world pass by through the blacked-out windows. The leather from the car seat sticks to the backs of my thighs so I’m very conscious about moving, considering Kreik sits across from me. The last thing I need is some awkward skin-on-leather fart sound to make me look ridiculous in front of him. My heart is going fast enough as it is.

He doesn’t speak. In fact, he barely even looks at me. I tell myself he’s just as nervous as I am, and that he feels guilty for how he treated me. He may be unsure of how to talk to me. Hopefully, Leon will ease the tension between us and we can have a nice meal together.

Fiddling with the hem of my dress, I force myself to say something.

“Where are we going to eat?”

“Spanish restaurant.”

“Is it near here?”

“No.”

“Oh. I’ve never had Spanish cuisine before.”

Kreik doesn’t reply.

“Of course, I don’t think I’ve eaten beyond the frozen section at the grocery store.” I chuckle but it fades quickly as Kreik still doesn’t respond. “Is Leon meeting us there?”

“No, we’re picking him up.”

Thank god. The sooner he’s here, the better.

Soon, the world outside grows unfamiliar. Finally, the car pulls to a stop and Kreik climbs out with his cane clutched in his hand. “Come,” he orders, then strides away before I have a chance to unbuckle my seatbelt.

I hurry out of the car and follow him across a large, empty parking lot. Salty air tickles my nose, and a chill wraps its long fingers around my bare skin arms. It was so warm earlier that I didn’t bring a jacket, but I regret it now as the sun disappears from the sky, hiding behind the gigantic warehouses we’re walking toward. I’d be concerned about why Kreik brought me here but as we approach one of the buildings, I spot a couple of guards I recognize.

We walk inside and my heart lifts, eager to see Leon just so I can look at a friendly face. While I can’t imagine what’s so important that Kreik wants us to discuss it over dinner, I hope it’ll be a good outcome. If Leon’s in a good mood, maybe I can approach him about my new flower store.

I follow Kreik down a long, barely lit corridor and then into a large, open area filled with shipping containers. There’s a different kind of chill in here, one that seeps across my skin, turning it into gooseflesh. I wrap my arms around myself tightly, very aware of the loud clacking of my heels as we walk.

“Sir.” A man breaks off from a group in front of us and hurries forward. “We weren’t expecting you today.”

“A fleeting visit,” Kreik replies. “I heard there was a problem with a shipment?”

“We were waiting on Leon,” the man says.

“I’m here now. Show me.” Kreik follows the man who hurries toward one of the largest shipping containers. I follow at a slower pace, letting my gaze wander around. There are more containers than I can count, some of them towering above us like buildings as we walk. An unfamiliar coppery scent carries on the air, and most of the people we pass don’t even look up. They’re all business with manifests and clipboards. One group is absolutely swamped handling multiple black trash bags and my curiosity rises.

What is this place?

Kreik stops near a large blue container and snatches the clipboard from the door. A couple of men rush forward and start hauling the door open as the first man speaks with Kreik.

“We were expecting sixty and were promised sixty, but only fifty-four arrived.”

“Were the other six lost in transportation?”

“Not that we can tell,” the man sighs. “No sign of tampering either, so only fifty-four were loaded. Either we’ve paid too much, or someone broke in and took a couple before they arrived.”

“I want to know every single person that touched this crate from the moment it was loaded,” Kreik says, his tone sharp.

I’m close enough now that I can almost see inside the container. I peek over Kreik’s shoulder to satisfy my curiosity, expecting to see machinery or vehicles, possibly some kind of exotic animal from the way they’re talking.

It’s dark inside. Something moves, and my heart jumps in fright. It’s definitely an animal. My lips part, and I’m about to ask what kind of animal it is when the man lifts his flashlight and shines it inside.

The world suddenly falls away from my feet as the beam highlights several dirty, stained faces of people clad in chains. They’re all clothed and surrounded by various dirty blankets, but each one wears the same terrified look on their face. My breath catches until I can’t breathe.

A wave of dizziness hits me with the force of a hurricane and I stumble back, losing my balance on my heels. I nearly fall but a strong pair of hands catches me. I wrench myself away, the sound of my stumbling heels catching Kreik’s attention.

He glances up and scowls. “What are you doing?”

My bones have turned to jelly. Each beat of my heart is like an explosion in my ears and a dark hollowness opens up inside me.

People.

That container is filled with people.

Glancing around, I’m shocked at the amount of containers that fill the warehouse. Suddenly, a hot rush of bile scrapes up my throat, and I turn away just in time to throw up against the wall of one of the containers. Tears burst into my eyes and I struggle for air around the retching, gagging ripples of repulsion that pour through me.

There’s no way.

There’s no fucking way this is real.

My head swims and when I blink, I immediately see those illuminated faces again.

“What’s the matter?” Kreik asks as he grabs my arm and pulls me around to face him. Our eyes lock, and there’s a coldness in those depths that I’ve never seen before. “Leonity never told you what we did for work?”

My stomach cramps so painfully that I’m forced to double over again.

I need to get the fuck away from here, now.