Page 80 of Single Mom's Undoing

I believe him.

Bill Lockwood crossed the one line he never should’ve crossed with his own son. He backed Carter into a corner. And Carter doesn’t like corners very much. He fights tooth and nail, blood and bone, to get himself out of them every time.

Something tells me Bill Lockwood’s turn is coming.

And it’s coming soon.

24

CLARA

Matty and I were given a room of our own.

There’s plenty of food, refreshments, and service staff present to attend to our every need. There are also Bill’s goons—Wyatt and Laura, along with a few others—who patrol the grounds, weapons holstered and eyes sharp.

“It’s nice here, Momma,” Matty sighs, playing in a patch of sand with a handful of toys. At least his grandfather made sure he’s got enough entertainment handy.

Building sandcastles keeps my boy busy, which means fewer questions about why we’re here, about Carter, and about going to the hospital. Matty has been through enough already.

“It is,” I say, seated on a bench nearby.

We’re outside in the garden overlooking a lush orchard of apple and walnut trees, raising their rich, green crowns to the blue sky. Blackthorn Falls isn’t too far from here, judgingby the mountain ridge I spot to the east. Not exactly walking distance, but we could make it on foot if push came to shove.

I just need to figure out a way to sneak off the premises without getting my ass tackled by Laura. She keeps a surprisingly sharp eye on me, and she’s never far away.

“How’s that sandcastle coming along?”

He smiles. “Good. I’m going to make it really, really big.”

“Can you build a tower for the princess?”

“Yeah, I have this,” he says, showing me one of the narrower plastic buckets. “I’m gonna keep the princess safe.”

“That’s my little man,” I smile softly.

“I’m gonna keep you safe, too, Momma.”

Tears prick my eyes as I shake my head. “Oh, honey, you’re too sweet. ButI’mthe one who’s supposed to keepyousafe, not the other way around.”

“It’s okay, Momma. I’m a big boy now.”

“That, you most certainly are.”

Here we sit like prisoners in a gilded cage, while Bill Lockwood waits for me to relinquish my parental rights and hand over my son just so he can have an heir to his fortune—a fortune I know was built on the backs of innocent, hard-working people.

It’s one of the things that Carter could never reconcile, and why he worked so hard to build a business of his own, away from Lockwood Industries. Margot didn’t have as many qualms with the unethical practices of her father’s company, often saying that the ends justified the means, that they weregiving jobs to people all over the county. She was not entirely wrong, but not exactly right either.

“Where’s Daddy?” Matty asks at one point.

“He’s busy at work, honey,” I reply. I hate every word of this lie because I know that Carter is somewhere out there, desperately looking for us.

I should never have run; I know that now.

“He’ll be with us soon enough,” I add. “We’re not staying here for much longer.”

“I miss him.”

“He misses you, too.”