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“Yes.” Nicky nodded. “Captain Andy and Wallis told Max who came to me.”
“I feel a little giddy keeping up with the chain of origin from that story,” Steph said sarcastically. Her heart had skipped a painful beat at the mention of Max. “Why didn’t Max come to get me?”
“Because Wallis advised him not to,” Nicky answered. “They came to me instead.” She glanced at Steph once again. “Steph, Max told meeverything.”
“Including that, he accused me of having an affair with Tom?” Steph folded her arms defiantly across her.Nicky always took Max’s side. “You always take Max’s side.”
“No, I donot!“ Nicky growled, hurt flashing in her eyes. “If you must know, I pointed out what an idiot Max had been, and while I loved him like a brother, you’re my sister. Your happiness and needs will always come first with me.”
“You told him that?” Steph looked at Nicky, impressed.
“Of course I did,” Nicky assured her. “And I meant every word of it.” She glanced at Steph before pulling into Scott House’s driveway. “Are you sure you don’t want to come home with me to my new little cottage?”
“No.” Steph shook her head. “You’re right. It’s time for Max and I to have our showdown.”
“You sound like the start of a cowboy movie.” Nicky laughed. “Do you want me to come inside with you?”
Steph glanced at the house and noticed that their mother’s car wasn’t in the drive and their grandmother’s bedroom window was closed.
“No, I’ll be fine.” Steph opened the car door. “It looks like Mom and Gran are out.”
“Yes, they’ve gone to Mom’s friend, Marie, for a few days,” Nicky told her.
“I don’t want this to sound terrible, but that’s such a relief to know.” Steph blew out a breath. “I really just need a few moments of alone time before facing Max.”
Her eyes widened as she realized Max may be at home in the pool house.
Realizing what Steph had, Nicky reassured her, “Don’t worry, Max went to stay at Wallis’s house until I tell him you want to talk.”
“Thanks, Nicky.” Steph breathed a sigh of relief. “Please don’t tell any of our other family members about all this.”
“I won’t,” Nicky promised, watching Steph climb out of the car. “Where’s your car?”
“Max has it,” Step explained about the rental she’d dropped off when Tom had found her. “Oh shoot!” She snapped her fingers. “Tom has my bags.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get them from him,” Nicky offered.
“I’d appreciate that.” Steph gave her sister a tight smile. “I want to go and take a long soak in the bath and a nap before deciding what to do about—“ She had to catch herself before blurting out that she was pregnant. “Things.”
“Let me know what you want me to tell Max,” Nicky leaned down to look at Steph standing by the car door.
“Tell him to come round to the pool house at seven tonight,” Steph instructed.
She said goodbye to Nicky and warily made her way to the pool house. Steph was about to let herself in when a shadow loomed behind her, reflecting in the glass door. Her eyes widened as she saw an object about to be brought down on her head. Steph’s first thought went to the life growing inside her, and her eyes pinned on the image of the boulder about to be brought down on her head. She knew if it did, it would most likely kill her. Steph’s hands flew protectively to her bells as the mirror image in the glass door moved toward her skull, and she managed to step aside before it hit her.
The boulder-looking object hit the glass door with a resounding crash that echoed with the splintering sound of glass breaking. Steph turned aside, her hands tightening over her belly to protect it from the glass that flew everywhere from the boulder’s impact. As the noise died down, Steph’s fight or flight instinct kicked in, and she was about to run when long fingers with talon-like nails gripped her arm and dug into Steph’s soft flesh.
“Where do you think you’re going?” the familiar voice slurred angrily.
Her own temper flared as she realized who had tried to kill her. Red, hazy dots of rage blurred her vision as the flight instinct was overruled by her fight one. Steph, not caring where the punch landed, turned toward her attacker swinging. Pain crunched through her knuckles as she connected with the hard jaw of her surprised assailant. Steph was sure she’d broken her hand. She’d wallop the person so hard. While she wasn’t a violent person, nor did she condone violence, Steph felt a wave of satisfaction at having defended herself. Her would-be attacker staggered backward, wide-eyed with disbelief.
“Steph!” Max’s voice distracted as the person regained their ground and rushed at Steph. “Stop!”
Before Steph was tackled to the ground, she dodged the attack and shoved the person into the pool.
“Steph, my word!” Nicky rushed toward her.
Nicky engulfed Steph in her arms as Max joined in the hug, not caring what Steph’s reaction would be, and for the moment, she let him join in, enjoying the feeling of comfort. The adrenaline was dying, and the reality of what happened began to sink in. Before Steph could stop it, she burst into tears.
