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Dania put a clean onesie on little Val and wrapped the receiving blanket around him. With great care, she placed the baby in his mother’s waiting arms, then helped Hayley position him until he settled in to eat.
Dania’s heart pinched as the horrible days after she’d delivered her own child played through her mind. The medication the prison doctor prescribed to dry up her milk hadn’t worked very well. She’d been miserable for several days. Any sudden jolt—or if she’d even inadvertently brushed up against something—shot pain ricocheting through her. She would have given anything to have been able to hold her child and feed him like Hayley was doing. Not only would it have alleviated her pain, but she could have also had precious mother-child moments with her son. Deep, overwhelming sadness fell upon her. “I’m going to give you and your baby some alone time.”
“Where are you going?” Alarm pinched Hayley’s face.
“Just getting some air is all. Believe me, I’m not leaving until we talk some more.”
“But don’t go outside.” Distress furrowed her forehead. “What if I need you? You won’t hear me if you’re not in the trailer.”
“Okay, I’ll go into the living room.” Dania didn’t really care where she was going; she just didn’t want to be here. It hurt too much. She quickly escaped before Hayley could stop her.
She returned to the couch and couldn’t help worrying about Brett, even though he was good at his job. Matthew had told her several stories about how Brett had gone undercover, done surveillances, and even had shoot-outs to catch the bad guys he’d chased. He was a doer and didn’t like waiting too long. He wanted to be in the thick of the fight. He’d certainly proven that in the way he was trying to help her.
She leaned her head against the couch in very nearly the same spot she had last night. Glancing beside her, where Brett had been, her heart filled with warmth and gratitude and something more.
The truth was, she was falling for Brett Rollins. How incredible was that? She liked having him at her side, liked watching him reluctantly smile, liked how he worried about keeping her safe, and against tremendous odds, he was trying his best to do the right thing.
His words came back to her when he spoke to her about settling down. “If I meet someone like you, I might. I’ll just have to wait and see.” Someone like her.
What would life with Brett be like? She tried to imagine being the woman he loved and pledged to be faithful to. Last night, he’d put his arms around her as he’d comforted her. She’d felt safe, protected, and even... loved.
But how could he possibly love her? That was the question. Perhaps he was confusing love with guilt. Whether he was helping her out of guilt or out of loyalty to Matthew or because he wanted to right the wrongs of his father, it didn’t matter. He was helping her, and she needed him.
She’d been fighting the world on her own for three very long years, and to have Brett’s shoulder to cry on had been so very nice. It had reminded her of how she’d felt when Matthew had taken her in his arms.
Guilt washed over her, as if she were betraying her husband. Why? It wasn’t like Matthew was coming back. He had been dead for three miserable years. Maybe she felt guilty because Brett had been her late husband’s best friend? But knowing Matthew, he’d be happy that she wasn’t alone.
An unexpected warmth filled her, almost as if Matthew were telling her she was right. Comforted by this unexpected gift, she muttered, “Thank you.”
“The baby’s asleep.” Hayley walked into the living room with one hand behind her.
Dania stood. “Can I get you something?”
“No.” Hayley hesitated. “Let’s talk. You wanted to. Besides, Brett told me that we needed to talk about Val.”
This was going to be tough. But the moment had arrived. Dania might as well dive in. “Hearing that Val is your baby’s father took me by surprise.” She sat back down, hoping that would put Hayley at ease. “Brett told me Val hit you.”
Hayley nodded but said nothing.
“I knew he had a temper. And when he learned I’d married Matthew, he told me I had betrayed him.”
Hayley carefully eased down on the overstuffed chair beside the couch, her body no doubt still tender from giving birth. She looked straight at her, no emotion on her face. “Didn’t you?”
“No. Val and I had broken up several years before I married Matthew. I was nowhere near betraying Val.” Dania couldn’t believe anyone would think she had to check with Val before she married a different man.
“All I know is he still has feelings for you.”
Dania straightened in her seat. “I had no idea.” However, maybe Hayley was right. He had attended Dania’s trial.
Hayley hardly moved, just stared at Dania as if she’d never understand her situation.
Dania had to get her to remain calm and yet give her hope. “Look, I don’t want you worrying about this. As soon as I can, I’ll set Val straight. What we had was in the past. So much has happened since then that I could never see Val and me together again. He needs to be with you and your baby or, at the very least, pay you child support. I know what to do.” She should have thought of this sooner. “You could prove the baby is his very easily with DNA. If you present him with facts, I’m sure Val would do the right thing by you and your son.”
“I’m not convinced.” Hayley pulled her hand away from her side and pointed a gun at Dania. “Want to know the real reason I went to Brett’s grandmother’s house?”
Stunned and reeling to comprehend what was happening, Dania said, “Yes.”
“I went there to kill you.”
