The last time she’d been here, she’d met hermother in her bedroom. That small, concrete cubicle had been awfulenough; this was so much worse. Like some of the foster and grouphomes she’d been through, the broken air here made it seem as ifthey’d all given up. Aiden stepped closer and settled his hand onher back.
“Take your time,” he whispered beforebrushing a kiss over her temple.
Maggie glanced up at him. She’d only knownhim for such a short time, yet the kiss felt natural, and hispresence here strengthened her in ways she never would havebelieved possible. He hadn’t needed to use his abilities againafter the front desk, but she knew he would have done everything hecould to get her here. She gave him a brisk nod before stridingthrough the chairs toward her mother with him at her side.
Aiden studied Jane as they approached her.Her auburn hair hung to just below her ears. Some white hairstreaked the dark tresses, but what he could see of her faceremained remarkably untouched by age. Her hands were on her lap,and she had a blanket draped across her knees. Like the otherpatients in this room, she wore blue scrubs.
The woman didn’t look at them when Maggiestopped before her. “Jane,” Maggie said. “Jane Doe.”
Maggie’s voice had a small tremor in it, buthe felt the strength forging the rigid length of her spine againsthis hand. He lost contact with her when Maggie knelt before thewoman. She reached out to rest a hand on her mother’s knee butpulled it away before they touched.
“Jane, I’m not sure if you remember me. Icame to visit you six years ago.”
The woman’s head turned slowly toward her.Aiden braced himself to intervene if Jane tried to attack Maggie.He may not be able to stop the emotional damage this woman mightinflict on her, but he wouldnotallow her to hurt Maggiephysically.
Able to see Jane’s face, Aiden took note ofthe strong resemblance between mother and daughter. Jane’s eyeswere a paler shade of gray than Maggie’s, but they were the sameshape, and their hair was the same shade. Both of their mouths werefull and their cheekbones high. Maggie had a smaller nose and amore feminine chin than Jane’s square jaw, but there was no doubtJane had once been almost as beautiful as her daughter.
“Mom,” Maggie breathed, then winced at theword. Jane had given birth to her, reluctantly, but she’d neverbeen amomto her.
Maggie’s fingers dug into her palms as sheglanced nervously toward the doctor. The doctor had told them notto do or speak of anything that might upset Jane, but what she hadto say to her mother was far from comforting.
Aiden rested his hand on Maggie’s shoulderas he surveyed the other patients gathered within. A few of themturned to watch Maggie and Jane, but most seemed unaware of theirinteraction. He doubted the Savages had a spy in this place, but hewouldn’t take any chances.
“Jane,” Maggie said, drawing his attentionback to them. “Do you remember me?”
Jane scanned Maggie’s face before her headtilted to the side. The vacancy in her eyes cleared a little, and asmile curved her mouth. “You look like me.”
“I do,” Maggie agreed.
Jane’s hand fluttered up to her hair. “Theycut it all off,” she murmured sadly. “Took it all away.”
Maggie had never seen her mother with longhair, but Jane said this to her during her last visit too. “Itlooks pretty.”
Jane’s hand fell away; her eyes went back tothe window. “Watched you coming.”
Maggie glanced out the window and spottedAiden’s car in the lot below. “Do you remember me?”
Jane remained focused on the window. Maggiedidn’t know why she’d come here. What had she hoped to accomplish?What did she expect from her mother? Answers?
No, she wouldn’t get those. Jane knew lessof what had happened to her than Maggie did now. Had she come tosay she was sorry? Because she was so very sorry for what happenedto this woman and for believing she was completely insane when shewas unbearably traumatized. She wanted to apologize for being thereason this woman was so broken, but that wasn’t her fault.
Then, she knew why she’d come. Jane had toknow she understood. That one person, out of Jane’s entire wretchedlife, saw her for who and what she was: a young woman who’d beentraumatized beyond the limits of what anyone should have toendure.
Experiencing a rape was devastating enough,but to be raped by a monster and to have no one else believe youabout it was something else entirely.
“I used to be so beautiful,” Jane murmuredand touched her cheek. “Too pretty. It’s why…”
Jane’s mouth pursed, and Maggie couldn’tstop herself from resting her fingers on her mother’s knee to offersome comfort. “No matter how pretty you are, what happened to youwasn’t your fault.”
She probably shouldn’t be talking aboutthis. She was certain the doctor wouldn’t tolerate it, but Maggiecouldn’t allow Jane to blame herself.
Jane’s eyes were more aware when theyreturned to her. “You came to visit me before.”
“Yes, years ago,” Maggie replied.
“I remember. You are… You are—” Janesuddenly recoiled. “Magdalene.”
“Jane—”
