Page 62 of Kings & Queen

“Vanya?” I whispered, as tears coursed down my cheeks.

He nodded while his cheek twitched, and he clenched his jaw to stop the movement.

“Cancer, the letter said. She chose to die alone, without us. So once more, no closure, no real goodbye. Just failure on our parts to be there for her. And it’s one we’ll never make right. I guess we can console ourselves that she found peace, even if it wasn’t with us.”

I hugged him closely, at a complete loss for words.

“Thank you for telling me,” I whispered.

I reached around and unbuckled his belt, then took his head and pulled it down to my lap. Within seconds, his hot tears soaked through my leggings. We rode the remaining way in silence. But it wasn’t near enough time.

I wanted to sit with him longer, to rub his head and contemplate all that he’d shared with me, but Marcus pulled up to the house. Alek sat up and took several deep breaths before opening my door and helping me out.

He and Marcus grabbed my suitcases, and Alek stopped me right before we went inside. He’d compartmentalized everything he’d shared with me and was back to his normal, composed self.

“Kitten, remember, if you’re asked to go anywhere, you make an excuse. You can’t leave the house.”

I nodded. We had discussed it at length. I couldn’t share with his parents the danger I was in.

Chapter 30

Sophia King

What’s A Mother To Do?

A mother always knewwhen something wasn’t quite right. Even before she called, tension coiled in my chest when I thought about her. Our return home was supposed to be a welcome relief, a chance to connect with old friends and our normal way of life. Little did I know, halfway through the flight, everything would unravel.

I’d always prided myself on knowing my children. I could anticipate their moods and troubles without a single word spoken, knew what they needed and the secrets they ‘hid.’ But whatever this strange relationship-bond my sons had with Kinsley was, I never saw it coming.

Gazing at the security camera, I couldn’t help the growing apprehension in the pit of my stomach. The situation my three sons had found themselves in, in Seattle seemed innocent enough at first, with Alek falling for a woman who seemed to breathe life into him. That first night at the gala event, I was genuinely happy for him. But I had no idea Ivan would fall for her too.

I was still holding out hope that Nik wasn’t entangled in the unconventional relationship, although Kinsley’s comments last night were indicative that he was. On our brief phone call, he didn’t elaborate either. I would get clarification from her later and then enlist Christopher’s help in getting them to see reason.

Desperate to protect the brotherly bonds between Alek and Ivan, I tried to talk some sense into them several times while in Seattle. That was before she vanished without a trace, leaving a void that sucked the life out of Alek in her wake and had Nik avoiding me at every opportunity. And Ivan…his pain stole my breath.

My youngest son had become someone I hardly recognized. Fear and concern consumed me when I thought of my baby. He’d already suffered enough. At dinner, I was shocked by his behavior. His words were laced with an intensity that shook me to my core. The realization struck both Christopher and me andconfirmed our worst fears. Kinsley had become a wedge between my sons, driving them apart with her presence, her influence.

When she called, I jumped at the chance despite Christopher’s hesitation to get involved. It was a calculated move, fueled by the belief that the less time she spent with them, the more likely they would move on. As a mother, I would do anything to protect them.God knows I didn’t do enough for Vanya.

The crackle of the radio and then a voice announcing their arrival had me rushing down to the grand foyer. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as I glanced out the side window and spotted Alek helping her from the car.

Damn, what’s he doing here?

I braced myself, mentally preparing for the encounter.

“You made it,” I exclaimed, trying to keep my voice upbeat.

I gave Alek a quick nod. Internally, I struggled with conflicting emotions. Part of me resented the havoc she’d brought into our lives, but another part, fueled by a mother’s instincts, felt a twinge of sympathy for her situation.

She was simply a lovestruck young girl, caught up in infatuation. I clung to the hope that she was at least intelligent enough to understand the foolishness of continuing on in whatever it was they were doing. Another part of me recognized she needed a temporary place to stay, so I swallowed my reservations, put on a happy face, and ushered her upstairs to her room for the next three weeks.

As we climbed the stairs, her eyes darted around hauntingly. Once more, I was struck by her air of fragility. It tugged at my heartstrings. With a flicker of fear thrown in my direction, she was like a wounded animal. One in need of shelter. Damn, being a mother sucked sometimes. That part of me wanted to reach out and hug her.

In that moment, a flood of memories surged through my mind—memories of Vanya and how she’d slipped through my fingers. I still ached for her, although I’d found ways to move forward, the loss of her lingered.

“Here we are,” I announced, stepping back and watching her face as she took in the room.

It was one of my favorites, stunningly decorated in blue and yellow. The patterned curtains on the windows matched those on the massive four-poster bed. A beautiful French blue Coquelicot chaise lounge nestled snug against the foot of the mattress. And a table and two chairs sat on the opposite side of the room, next to the balcony doors.