touching her would be a mistake. A dangerous attraction to her loomed in his gut and spiked his blood.
They were both too troubled, both had too much baggage. Both were lost souls.
His head pounded just trying to remember his past, a reminder he was running from dark secrets.
Amelia had suffered so much that she deserved someone whole. Someone who could give her the life and family she wanted.
“Trust me to do my job, Amelia.”
A bleakness clouded her eyes, as desolate as the gray skies above. “I don’t trust anyone, John. That’s one lesson I learned a long time ago.”
He didn’t blame her, but he could not let himself get suckered into caring about her.
She was a case, nothing more.
Despite the fact that her sweet feminine scent was intoxicating, he tried for logic. “You came to me for help, remember, so let me do my job. But I’m warning you—not every case turns out well.”
Amelia squared her shoulders. “I don’t expect a happy ending,” she said, her voice sad. “At least not for me.”
Dammit, that made him want to help her find closure so badly his chest throbbed. Made him want to give her that happy ending.
But he gritted his teeth, biting back false promises. The last thing he wanted to do was tell her he’d bring her child back when the truth was, they had no idea if the child was even alive.
Amelia wrestled with her emotions as she parked at Sadie’s house and walked up to the front door. The shock of finding that empty grave had given her a chill that wouldn’t ease.
What else had Ms. Lettie and the Commander kept from her? How much more would she have to endure from that horrible man?
Footsteps sounded inside, dragging her from her shock.
The snowman Ayla had built seemed to wave to her from the front yard. Sadie and Jake had probably helped, adding a carrot nose and one of Sadie’s scarves. Amelia imagined the family out throwing snowballs and rolling them to make the snowman, and her heart ached.
She wanted a family like that. But if her little boy was alive, he might not even know she existed. What had Blackwood told him about her?
That she didn’t care or want him?
That she would have been a terrible mother?
Was her little boy in danger, being drugged and tortured like she’d been?
She shuddered, nausea rising to her throat.
But she swallowed the bile and punched the doorbell. Guilt pricked at her when she looked through the window and spotted Sadie coming to the door.
What kind of sister had she been that she’d neglected to visit her new nephew?
Admittedly at times, she’d felt like Sadie had deserted her, but Amelia understood why her sister had left town years ago, and no longer felt that way. Guilt dogged Amelia like a demon, though. Because her sister had suffered the stigma of being the twin of a lunatic.
Yet their bond was strong, the very reason she’d first believed her dream was about Sadie and her newborn.
Sadie’s face glowed with radiance from newfound motherhood as she opened the door.
“I’ve missed you,” Sadie said as she reached for a hug. “I thought you’d come by when we first got home.”
The heavenly scent of cinnamon and apples filled the air inside. A homey scent that reminded her of Gran.
Amelia’s throat thickened. Jake had been right to tell her not to worry Sadie. “I figured you needed some time with your family first and didn’t want to intrude.”
Sadie’s smile wilted slightly, and she pulled Amelia inside the foyer. “You’re my family, too, Sis.” Sadie squeezed her hand. “And you’re never intruding. I moved back here to be with Jake and you.”
Amelia was touched. “Thanks, Sis. By the way, motherhood agrees with you. You look beautiful.”
Sadie gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Yeah, right. I’m still in maternity clothes, I’m sleep deprived, and I haven’t even showered today.” She ran a hand through her tousled hair. She was wearing sweats and no makeup, but she still looked happier than
They were both too troubled, both had too much baggage. Both were lost souls.
His head pounded just trying to remember his past, a reminder he was running from dark secrets.
Amelia had suffered so much that she deserved someone whole. Someone who could give her the life and family she wanted.
“Trust me to do my job, Amelia.”
A bleakness clouded her eyes, as desolate as the gray skies above. “I don’t trust anyone, John. That’s one lesson I learned a long time ago.”
He didn’t blame her, but he could not let himself get suckered into caring about her.
She was a case, nothing more.
Despite the fact that her sweet feminine scent was intoxicating, he tried for logic. “You came to me for help, remember, so let me do my job. But I’m warning you—not every case turns out well.”
Amelia squared her shoulders. “I don’t expect a happy ending,” she said, her voice sad. “At least not for me.”
Dammit, that made him want to help her find closure so badly his chest throbbed. Made him want to give her that happy ending.
But he gritted his teeth, biting back false promises. The last thing he wanted to do was tell her he’d bring her child back when the truth was, they had no idea if the child was even alive.
Amelia wrestled with her emotions as she parked at Sadie’s house and walked up to the front door. The shock of finding that empty grave had given her a chill that wouldn’t ease.
What else had Ms. Lettie and the Commander kept from her? How much more would she have to endure from that horrible man?
Footsteps sounded inside, dragging her from her shock.
The snowman Ayla had built seemed to wave to her from the front yard. Sadie and Jake had probably helped, adding a carrot nose and one of Sadie’s scarves. Amelia imagined the family out throwing snowballs and rolling them to make the snowman, and her heart ached.
She wanted a family like that. But if her little boy was alive, he might not even know she existed. What had Blackwood told him about her?
That she didn’t care or want him?
That she would have been a terrible mother?
Was her little boy in danger, being drugged and tortured like she’d been?
She shuddered, nausea rising to her throat.
But she swallowed the bile and punched the doorbell. Guilt pricked at her when she looked through the window and spotted Sadie coming to the door.
What kind of sister had she been that she’d neglected to visit her new nephew?
Admittedly at times, she’d felt like Sadie had deserted her, but Amelia understood why her sister had left town years ago, and no longer felt that way. Guilt dogged Amelia like a demon, though. Because her sister had suffered the stigma of being the twin of a lunatic.
Yet their bond was strong, the very reason she’d first believed her dream was about Sadie and her newborn.
Sadie’s face glowed with radiance from newfound motherhood as she opened the door.
“I’ve missed you,” Sadie said as she reached for a hug. “I thought you’d come by when we first got home.”
The heavenly scent of cinnamon and apples filled the air inside. A homey scent that reminded her of Gran.
Amelia’s throat thickened. Jake had been right to tell her not to worry Sadie. “I figured you needed some time with your family first and didn’t want to intrude.”
Sadie’s smile wilted slightly, and she pulled Amelia inside the foyer. “You’re my family, too, Sis.” Sadie squeezed her hand. “And you’re never intruding. I moved back here to be with Jake and you.”
Amelia was touched. “Thanks, Sis. By the way, motherhood agrees with you. You look beautiful.”
Sadie gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Yeah, right. I’m still in maternity clothes, I’m sleep deprived, and I haven’t even showered today.” She ran a hand through her tousled hair. She was wearing sweats and no makeup, but she still looked happier than
Similar Books
