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“Ugh, Casey, don't eat that,” I tell her, racing over before she actually eats the snail she’s lifting to her mouth.
“But why? That lady is,” Casey says, pointing to the woman at the table who’s eating Escargot. Valarian pulls a face at the woman as she eats one that was on the bed of lettuce on her plate.
“Still, don't eat it. Snail slime is poisonous,” I tell her, wiping her hands free of the handful of snails she’s collected from the garden.
“Then why is she eating them?”
Ugh, come on Kalen; then you can answer these questions,I internally groan.
“Because they’re a delicacy, and they’re cooked, not fresh from the garden,” I tell her.
“Gross! Why would anyone eat a slug?” Valarian asks, plucking a snail from the garden where I just made Casey drop them. It comes out of its shell and he drops it, pulling a face. I chuckle at him just as a voice from another table reaches my ears.
“Seems Alpha Valen needs to up his standard, especially for the price we pay; letting rogues in here, such a shame,” a middle-aged woman says, turning her gaze to me. Valarian growls at her, shocking me, and seems about to say something. I grip his shoulder gently, and he looks up at me; I shake my head.
“Mind your place, boy. Rogue whores and their mutts shouldn't be allowed in the presence of the elite,” she sneers, and I glare at her, biting my tongue. I am not about to cause a scene.
“I will have to put in a complaint. It looks like the Alpha is letting all kinds of riffraff in here.”
“It appears so, ma'am, because he let you through his doors,” I tell her, sick of her whining voice. Her piggish face seems appalled that I would even talk back to her, let alone callherthe riffraff.
“How dare you? Do you have any idea who I am?”
“No, and I don't care to. I have standards, and you don't meet them,” I tell her. She huffs, tossing her napkin on the floor before stomping off just as Kalen steps into the children’s play area.
“Sorry, I am late; I got caught in traffic.” He turns to look where I’m staring after the woman. “Everything alright?”
“Fine. I need to go.”
Kalen nods, and I turn to the kids. Casey is stuffing her pockets full of snails once again. I click my tongue and give them both a peck on the cheek, telling them to behave, before leaving Kalen to deal with it.
“I will find you later, dear,” Kalen says, pecking my cheek and hugging me, much to the disgust of those around us. Somehow, I don’t think I’ll get used to his sudden affections toward me. I roll my eyes before leaving and looking for Tatum, who’s supposed to take me back to the hotel. Only when I walk out the front doors do I stop and stare in disbelief.
Valarie's truck.
I blink and take a step back, staring again. Tatum climbs out of the driver's seat and shuts the door. My hands go to my eyes, and I rub them, holding back the tears. I thought he crushed it.
“Is it…?” I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Tatum smiles before tossing me the keys—her old keychains are still attached, along with the pendants of four steel cut-out girls and three babies. And three keychain pictures of Valarian, Casey, and Taylor were also still attached. Just seeing them, I can hear them jingle like they used to on her hip when she walked. I kiss the keys, trying not to become emotional over an old truck.
“He didn't destroy it?” I choke.
“Nope, kept it in the garage. I filled it up for you, but she needs a good clean—pretty dusty down there,” Tatum says, and I nod.
“Valen said you were stressed this morning. He was going to give it back tonight, but he just called and asked me to give it to you now to help cheer you up,” Tatum laughs. It definitely did that. I hug him quickly.
“Thank you!” I tell him before jumping into my truck and reaching over to unlock the glove box.
Relief floods me when I see the letters from Valarie inside. I pull them out, making sure they’re all there, including the one for Valen, which is still sealed. I swallow before placing it back.
It had arrived a few weeks after her passing, along with the others for when the babies grew older. It was one of the reasons I was so devastated about the car—I thought they would never find out what was in those letters. The other three go straight into my handbag; I’ll put them in the safe back at the hotel. Why I didn't in the first place is beyond me. Her storage locker key—where all her belongings are—is still there too, and I toss that in my bag along with the envelopes.
Starting my baby up, she roars to life.
I smile before pulling out, heading home.
ChapterSixty-Four
