Page 14 of Claimed

“How do you feel?” she asks. “Drake told me what happened.”

“I don’t know. Okay, I guess.”

“I want you to know I’ll do anything I can to help. Whatever you need, you let me know. I’m heading to the sheriff’s office after this. We’re offering a reward for information.”

“We? Who’s ‘we’?”

“Me and Daniel...my husband.”

“You’re married?”

“Yes,” she replies. “We’ve been married eight years.”

“And he knows about me?”

“I told him about you on our first date. He’s here with me and wants to meet you.”

“He wants to meet me?” I can’t believe this. I not only get a mother but a shiny, new stepdad all in the same day.

“Yes. We have a six-year-old, Dani. She’s here, too. Excited to meet her big sister.”

Sister? I have a little sister?I take a deep breath, and as if he senses I’m about to overload, Gage takes my hand. I look to him for guidance and he kisses my forehead.

“One thing at a time, baby doll. You set the pace.”

He’s right. This is my show. I get to decide who, what, where, and when. I think I’ve had enough for one day.

“Not today. Please.”

“Of course. He’ll be here for a few days then he has to go back to work. Dani and I will be here...for a while.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll…uh...I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Her statement sounded more like a question, so I nod. She looks like she wants to hug me again but thinks better of it. Picking up her purse from the floor—I didn’t even realize she’d dropped it—she heads for the door. She stops in the doorway and turns back to me.

“Thank you, Raven.”

And then she’s gone. Mr. Santini nods to us and follows her out. Gage sits on the edge of the bed and stares at me intently.

“Well?”

“Well...” I shrug. “At least it’s taken my mind off everything else.”

“And?” he prods.

“And...maybe you were right. I’ll give her a chance, but she only gets one.”

“What I saw of the woman who walked in here...I’m pretty sure one is all she needs, Raven.”

“I hope so.”

God, I hope so.

CHAPTER 5

***Gage***