“I mean it,” Father said menacingly. “If you leave, you’ll have no money. No credit. Nothing. We won’t help you. And if you speak out against us, we’ll remind people of all themental problemsyou’ve had over the past five years. No one will be on your side.”
Zeller huffed. He was leaving their home forever, and still, Father’s priorities were clear.
“Well, I suppose you’ll be glad to know that I’m not interested in exposing you. Or asking for any help. I just want to put as much distance between us as possible. Once I walk out this door, please consider me dead to you. As you are to me.”
Daddy gasped but Zeller stiffened his shoulders.
With no further words, he left.
“I had a little money I’d saved up,” Zinn said. “I got on a train and came to Bellwether Province. Found Felton’s the next day, and you know the rest.”
“Your family is obviously very powerful. I’m sure it wasn’t easy getting away.” Calder fingered Zinn’s hair, where the tawny goldcolor was growing in past the darkly dyed locks. “I’m assuming you’re still hiding from them?”
Zinn looped his arms around Calder’s neck and spoke into his chest. “My parents would be looking for their son, Zeller Parkenson. It’s much easier for Zinn Parker to hide.”
“Zeller…that’s the name you were born with?”
“The one best left in the past.”
Calder nodded, then his brow furrowed. “Parkenson. I’ve heard that before.”
“My alpha father, Keyes Parkenson, is well known. He’s the tax minister in Warburton Province.”
Calder inhaled. “They can’t touch you. Even if they find you. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve realized these past few months that I’m not scared of them anymore. That’s why I stopped dying my hair. I’ll always be angry, and I’ll never forgive them, but I’m not afraid. In fact, I’ve been thinking that I may need to go back and confront them. I don’t want to. But I might not have a choice.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’re the only lead I have on finding my son. Them and Asher and Antoni. I hired a private investigator to try to find something, but he came up empty.”
“Whatever you decide to do, I’m there for you.”
“I know. And that’s why I came here tonight, because you deserved this information. You should understand that, as much as I will love and cherish our son, I’ll never stop searching for my firstborn child. I need to know he’s okay.”
“I’ll help you.”
Zinn shook his head. “It’s not just that. I also need answers about Valentin. To find out if I truly put my faith in the wrong man.”
“You said you still love him?”
“A part of me does,” Zinn admitted. “It’s complicated. He was the first person to really understand me. See me.”
Calder digested Zinn’s words placidly. “Did you ask the PI to look for him?”
“No.” Zinn barked a laugh. “Priorities. Investigators are expensive.”
“Hmm. Well, if you wanted to find him, he’d probably be easier to locate than a baby whose name you don’t know.”
“I’ll think about it.” Zinn pressed his face against Calder’s pec. “But I want to give myself a little while to enjoy this miracle before I resume searching for anyone.” He linked their fingers together to rest on his belly. “And I want to give us a chance…you and me. I might mess it up, but I want to try.”
Zinn didn’t say out loud that he was already half in love with Calder. And not just because of the pregnancy.
“You really want to?”
“Yes.”
Calder’s heart beat rapidly beneath Zinn’s cheek. “We can take this as slowly as you need to.”
