Page 14 of Provocation (Temptation 3)

Julia

“How was it to finally shower in your own bathroom?” I asked when Imogene walked into the kitchen.

“Transcendental,” she exhaled. “Life changing.”

I chuckled at her occasional flair for the dramatics.

“Don’t get me wrong.” She hoisted herself onto the barstool on the opposite side of the island.

The sight of her back where she belonged warmed my heart. It was like a missing piece of my life had been returned to its rightful place.

“I love camp, but it’s nice to have my own space again after sharing a cabin with five other girls.” She snorted and grabbed the bottle of water I’d set out for her. “One bathroom for five girls? Not exactly optimal conditions.”

“I can imagine,” I offered as I finished slicing the pepperoni stromboli I’d made. After arranging it on a serving tray, I set it on the island beside the plate of mushroom canapés she loved.

As Imogene scanned the small feast I’d prepared, her smile fell, eyes filled with concern.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?”

She gestured in front of her. “Mushroom canapés. Pepperoni stromboli. French onion soup. Smothered chicken. All my favorite foods. There’s definitely something going on.” Her expression paled, trepidation covering her as she dropped her voice. “Is it something to do with…him?”

“No! Absolutely not!” I answered quickly, wanting to quash any hint of unease when it came to Nick.

“Are you sure? Because if he did something, you can tell me. You don’t have to protect me from him. I’m not a little kid anymore. I can handle it.”

I rushed over and pressed a hand to her cheek. “I know you can, baby.”

At one time, whenever I looked into Imogene’s dark eyes, I saw Nick, the similarity striking.

But as the years passed and she learned the truth about the man who held us prisoner in our lives for too long, I no longer saw Nick in any of her features. She grew into being her own person, completely independent from that monster.

In fact, at only seven, she’d handled the truth better than I expected.

Or maybe she was like me and had sensed something off about her father long before his crimes were revealed.

Long before I had to sit her down and explain her daddy hurt people…including her own mother.

“I know about that woman.” Imogene narrowed her gaze.

I furrowed my brows. “What woman?”

“Claire Hale. Her death was all over the news a few weeks back. She’s the same woman who came up to us when we were at the Peachtree Oyster House, isn’t she?”

I parted my lips, unsure how to explain. I’d hoped Imogene was so busy with camp she wouldn’t have had time to pay attention to the news.

I should have known better.

“Yes.” I dropped my hold on her, sliding onto the barstool beside her. “That was Claire Hale.”

I silently cursed my intelligent, observant daughter. The last thing I wanted was for Imogene to worry about the possibility that Nick was still hurting people. I was the parent here. It was my job to do the worrying for both of us.

Nick had already stolen so much of Imogene’s childhood. I wouldn’t allow him to steal her teenage years, too. It was impossible to shield her from everything life threw at her. But I could protect her from this. Could carry the burden for both of us. And that was precisely what I planned to do.

“She’s also Lachlan Hale’s sister,” she continued. “He plays for—”

“I know who Lachlan Hale is.”