Chapter Fifteen
Dante stared into the darkness, listening to Taylor’s even breathing. She hadn’t been asleep for long. She’d fought it, but eventually the exhaustion caught up with her. He hadn’t slept more than three or four hours since Kai disappeared. He knew it’d hit him sooner rather than later, but he just couldn’t rest when his son was out there somewhere, needing him.
They talked for hours into the night, telling each other stories of their children. He told her about the time Kai was three and he took him to see Santa Claus at the local mall. They had to wait in a long line and Kai was getting sleepy. When Mrs. Claus finally placed Kai on Santa’s lap, he was so tired he started to fall, so he grabbed onto Santa’s beard…pulling it clean off his face. Kai’s eyes had widened in horror and then he started to bawl, loud, pitiful wailing that broke Dante’s heart. He’d cried so hard, Dante couldn’t console him. Kai was afraid Santa wouldn’t come to visit him anymore. He made sure Kai got everything he wanted that Christmas so he’d know Santa still loved him.
Taylor told him how when Grace was four, she would only answer to the name Ariel. She loved to swim and decided she wanted to be a mermaid. Disney’s mermaid princess had red hair and blue eyes like her and she was positive she was Ariel. She played the movie on an endless loop until she had the entire film memorized. She even dressed in a purple top and sparkling green tail for Halloween that year.
Telling stories about Kai and listening to Taylor speak about Grace was bittersweet. He loved remembering the special moments from his son’s life, but it only made his absence that much more real. It was like pouring salt into a raw, open wound.
Dawn was already lightening the sky. He checked the bedside clock. Sanat Vasin was an early riser. He might have the results already. He carefully slid his arm out from under Taylor’s head and eased out of bed. Her brows slashed down. Dante wasn’t sure if it was the loss of his body heat or troubling dreams. She shifted but didn’t wake.
He stuffed his feet into his sneakers and picked up his cell. His heart lurched. A missed text from Sanat. He pulled up the message, expecting the worst. He got it.
#
Taylor spotted Grace standing on the sidewalk across the street. Her heart leaped with unfettered joy. She yelled her daughter’s name, jumping up and down and waving her arms to get her attention. Grace didn’t see her. Cars sped by, not even slowing as she weaved in and out of traffic. She barely dodged the bumper of a semi and she felt a Prius clip her, but she was determined. She made it to the middle but a steady stream of vehicles wouldn’t allow her to cross the rest of the lanes, which seemed to progressively grow in numbers. Horns honked and people cursed but she didn’t give up. She finally made it to the other side, only to find Grace gone. She spun in a circle, calling her name. A flash of red caught her eye and she spotted her on a school bus, her face pressed to the window. She was crying and calling for Taylor but the bus was pulling away from the curb. Taylor took off running and though her legs were moving, she wasn’t gaining any ground. The bus picked up speed and grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared from sight.
“No. Grace. Come back.”
“Taylor. Wake up. It’s just a bad dream.”
Taylor gasped and bolted upright. She glanced around the room, disoriented from her nightmare. Dante was sitting on the bed beside her, his hand gently rubbing her back. She looked into his eyes. “It wasn’t just a bad dream,” she whispered, the reality of Grace’s disappearance crashing down on her. He pulled her into his arms and she sagged against him. The pain stabbing her heart was excruciating. Troubling dreams kept her from resting all night and she could feel exhaustion crushing her under its weight, but anxiety was valiantly fighting it off. She finally gathered the energy to pull away.
“Better?” he asked.
“No,” she wanted to say. “Hold me again,” was on the tip of her tongue. She just nodded.
He gave her a brief smile and rose from the bed. Light filtered in through the windows, highlighting his amazing body. He was so tall and strong. He was the most perfect man she’d ever met. She didn’t want to have to face another day of worry and uncertainty, but having him by her side gave her strength. They’d talked long into the night, neither wanting to shut their eyes and face the demons lurking in dreams. He held her close and she’d absorbed his heat. There was nothing sexual in their touches, but whispered words of hopes and fears in the darkness was almost more intimate than sex.
Dante’s back was to her and she took the opportunity to study him closely. His shoulders were massive and muscular, tapering down to a lean midsection. She hadn’t seen him without a shirt, but she knew he had at least a six-pack of abs, probably an eight-pack or maybe ten. His butt was firm and muscular, as were his thighs. It was more than apparent he took very good care of his body. He’d been a SEAL and they were the strongest, smartest, fittest elite warriors…the best of the best.
As if sensing her appraisal, he turned. “I’m sorry, Taylor.”
Fear punched her in the gut and stole her breath. She jerked upright, knocking the cover to the floor. “What? What is it?”
With a resigned sigh, he handed her his phone. She looked from his eyes to the screen.
Testing concluded between G. Hudson and P. Sweeney. Positive match.
Taylor gasped and dropped the phone like it was a hot potato. No. It couldn’t be true.
Patrick Sweeney was truly Grace’s biological father.