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Ralph took a deep breath, then cleared his throat. “I wanted to talk to you about Carol’s children.”
Carol’s children. It seemed such an impersonal way to talk about your niece and nephew. But Wilhelm realized he might have used that same phrase before his entire world tilted on its axis and they were thrust into his life.
“My wife and I are fully prepared to raise them as our own. We know you’re a bachelor, and you have a certain lifestyle that probably doesn’t allow for two small babies, and we think it’s the least we can do for … for my sister.” H
is voice broke, but it sounded … wrong. Forced.
Maybe Wilhelm was just tired.
“Thank you, Ralph, that’s … kind of you … but it won’t be necessary. I’m managing with the twins just fine.” His hackles rose at the very notion that Ralph thought he’d just take them off Wilhelm’s hands, almost as if it were some sort of favor.
“That’s good. But it’ll be better for them to grow up in a family, rather than raised by nannies while you’re always at work making your fortune. I know you can afford to give them everything they could want, but that’s no substitute for loving parents.” Papers shuffled on the other end of the phone. “My lawyer has drawn up the paperwork for you to sign so that we can petition the court for custody. I’m sure if you think—”
Wilhelm shot to his feet. “No.”
“You have to think of what’s best for—”
“Ralph, I said no. My brother’s children are the only heirs in this family.” In my entire pack. “They’ll take over his business, my father’s business, when they’re old enough, and as such are my responsibility.”
Silence stretched out between them, until Ralph sniffed. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Wilhelm. I’m sure a judge will see things differently. You can’t provide a loving home living a wealthy bachelor lifestyle. Think of what’s best for them.”
Wilhelm had the urge to explain that he wouldn’t be leading a wealthy bachelor lifestyle anymore. He had Juliette. He could provide a loving home. Just the realization warmed him, and made the phone call twice as annoying because it was delaying his call to Juliette.
“If you think you’re taking these babies away from me, you’re sorely mistaken.” Wilhelm had enough money to pay the best cadre of lawyers ever assembled. He didn’t fear losing the babies in a courtroom.
“We’ll see about that. Expect to hear from my lawyer, Sorenson.”
Oh, now he was Sorenson instead of Wilhelm. Fine. He could play that way. He hung up and immediately dialed Sven to arrange for Ralph to be investigated. Anything that could be dug up on the man, Wilhelm wanted to know it. If he took this to court, he’d be sorry.
He let himself calm down for a moment before he called Juliette so he wouldn’t worry her. But he couldn’t wait too long. He needed to hear her voice like he needed air.
Chapter Fourteen
Juliette sat in the rocking chair in the nursery, listening to the sound of the twins’ breathing. It was adorable how they mostly breathed in sync, and when one breathed a little slower or a little faster, they both got restless until their breaths were back in time with each other. She wondered if fully human twins would react the same way or if it was because they were part tiger.
These two were going to be everything to each other. That much was clear. And Juliette felt she was going to be an important part of their lives too. And Wilhelm’s.
She’d never known such happiness at a thought.
Her phone buzzed against her hip, the picture of the tiger she’d added to Wilhelm’s number flashing on her screen and instantly making her feel lighter.
“It’s good to hear your voice,” she said. “How are you?”
“Fine. How are you? How are the twins?” Wilhelm’s voice sounded a little too tight for this to be just a check-in call.
“Everyone here’s okay. They’re sleeping peacefully. But you don’t sound fine. Tell me what’s wrong.” Juliette could already imagine him bracing himself to insist that he was fine, but it was as if she could sense his fatigue even through the telephone. Either something had happened, or … he’d gone to view his brother’s body. She’d tried to convince him not to, and thought he’d seen reason.
“Wilhelm, you went, didn’t you?”
He snorted softly into the phone. “Wow, you can read me like a book, can’t you?”
“Why? Why did you put yourself through that?” Her heart broke for him. “I wish I’d come with you. I should have. Babies stay in hotels all the time. I could have—”
“Juliette, it’s all right. I went because I felt I had to. It was hard, but I’ll be all right.”
She blinked away tears at what it must have been like for Wilhelm. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“I feel the same.”
