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Sher looked around, stricken with grief and shock. “I didn’t want it to be this way,” she said.
“You made it this way,” Henry bit back. “Never forget this is your fault.”
He led Kirsten and Zara into a room where there were no bodies and motioned for Sher to join them. Kirsten was rocking back and forth with Zara in her arms, reluctant to let her go at all. Henry was fine with that because he knew how good Kirsten was with Zara, and if she needed some comfort, now was the time to give it.
He took the time to hug them both and let the warmth and safety creep back into their bodies. His body naturally ran hot. Kirsten had commented on that before, saying that hugs from him were always soft and warm. Kirsten laid her head on his chest, and Zara reached for him, both of them pulling him close until they were all entangled.
This was what family was. Not whatever he wanted with Sher before she left them. This was what he needed and wanted all along.
Once they had come back to their surroundings and the adrenaline had worn off, Henry led them out of the mansion and back to his car. He bundled up Zara in the child seat and made sure Kirsten was safe in the passenger seat, and then they put the mansion and all its unholy terror behind them.
* * *
Sher was already sittingat a table facing the street when they arrived, Zara on Henry’s hip and Kirsten wearing her comfiest clothes. Henry knew she would rather go in with all her guards up, but she told him she needed to be comfortable in case they had to run again. Henry promised her that would not happen. They went to a café on the main strip of town, ready to put this mess behind them.
“I’m sorry,” Sher blurted before they even sat down. “I didn’t mean to let things get so out of hand.”
Henry pulled out Kirsten’s chair for her and sat with Zara on his lap.
“That’s really cute and all,” Kirsten said. “But we’re not here for apologies. We’re here to make sure you never do anything like that again.”
Sher nodded, looking at her hands. “I am sorry, though.”
“Great,” Kirsten said.
Henry took her hand. “We just don’t want anyone else getting hurt by you. You can’t pull a stunt like this again. All this for what? To have a child that you don’t even want? I won’t let you take Zara away from the family who loves her.”
Tears sprung to Sher’s eyes, but Henry would not be cowed. He stood strong against the wave of pity he felt for her because she was only using his empathy to manipulate him.
“I know. I’m sorry. I don’t know how many times you want me to say I’m sorry, but I’ll say it again. I’m ...”
“Stop,” Henry said. “Just stop. We’re not here for that. We’re here for you to promise you’ll leave us alone.”
“But ...”
“No ‘buts.’ That’s it.”
“I should be allowed to see my daughter!” She slammed her fist down on the table, making people around them turn their heads as Henry pulled Zara closer to him. “You can’t do this to me.”
“You didn’t even want her,” Kirsten hissed under her breath. “You pissed off without warning. You left Henry to fend for himself. How could you?”
Henry squeezed Kirsten’s hand. “Okay, we can come to an agreement that helps everyone involved. Okay? How does that sound?”
Kirsten folded her arms, and Sher nodded. Each of them focused on the other. They stared as though their eyes could vaporize each other. Henry wondered if this was what it would always be like with the women in his life. He was not averse to Kirsten’s fiery spirit, but he wanted this to go smoothly, for all of their sakes, not only Zara’s. They might even end up friends once the dust cleared.
“We’ve drawn up a document,” Henry said, pulling a rolled-up set of papers out of his jacket along with a pen. “We talked to our lawyer. She said it’s tight. There’s no getting out of it once you sign.”
“What does it say?”
“You can have visitations with Zara, as long as it’s at our home and as long as you move back to Thailand.”
Sher’s face fell. “Okay, fine. What else?”
“You leave us in peace, and we won’t press charges.”
“That’s my idea,” Kirsten said. “As for how you evaded the police this long, that’s your business. I’m just hoping you either back off or they arrest you for getting so many people killed.”
Sher’s expression betrayed her irritation. “That’s it? Just a few visitations?”
