Page 198 of Stand: Part One

It turned out that her room had been on the other side of the mansion, far from where I usually was. A guard stood outside the room, nodding at Sloane as he opened the door for us to enter.

Walking into the suite, my eyes scanned every inch of the elaborate room, searching for the source of the laughter I was hearing. Rounding the corner, I found Katherine sitting on the couch with Ella, reading her a book while the news played in the background.

Hearing our entrance, Katherine turned her head in our direction, her soft features lighting up as her sad eyes met mine.

“Jaden,” she breathed, a smile curving her lips. She stood as I approached her, both of our arms reaching out as we embraced, but the second we did, I felt her flinch.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I blurted, immediately pulling away. “I should have known better.” Her burns had to still be healing, and I was stupid enough to hug her.

“No, it’s okay,” she said, waving me off as she tucked her honey blond hair behind her ear. “I’m fine, really.” But the scars along the side of her face spoke a different story. While the majority of it seemed to be healing, they still looked angry and red. And painful. But then she looked down at my bandaged hand. “Oh, no, what happened?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. How’s the healing been?” I asked as we sat down on the couch, Sloane standing just behind us. Camaro whined as she pressed her nose into Katherine’s knees, coaxing some ear scratching and gentle petting.

“It’s been slow, but I’m coping,” she stated softly. “As long as I keep the burns covered, Ella doesn’t seem to notice.”

“And what about Daniel?” I dared to ask.

Katherine paused for a moment as she continued to fluff Camaro’s ears. “He avoids looking at me.”

I sighed quietly in disappointment. “I’m sorry, Katherine. Your cheek really doesn’t look that bad. I’m sure once it’s finally healed, he’ll lighten up.”

She slowly shook her head. “Not this time,” she whispered.

I scoffed under my breath. “What does he know. He’s missing brain matter. His qualifications to judge have been reduced by a gram or two.”

A puff of air left Katherine’s nose as she smiled, attempting to hold back her laughter. “He has been acting a little…different lately.”

I tilted my chin in question. “How so?” I wondered if it was anything I could exploit.

She folded her lips into a thin line before finally elaborating. “Just little things here and there. Shorter temper. Easily frustrated. Withdrawn. Some odd confusion he won’t admit to.”

Confusion? Now that was something I might be able to work with.

“Confusion about what?”

Katherine’s eyes suddenly shifted to Sloane who remained standing behind me right in front of the couch. “I probably shouldn’t say.”

I pursed my lips, trying to find a way to justify her divulgence.

“Katherine, if he’s getting confused by things he shouldn’t be, it might be something Sid or Darren will want to know. We don’t want him to be a liability.”

I pinned her with my stare as I waited for her to find her courage.

She sighed and then sagged her shoulders. “Like I said, just little things. Forgetting things I know I told him. Odd misunderstandings and overreactions. Frequent pauses mid-sentence. Misinterpreting my words. Delayed reactions.”

My eyes scanned her face as she spoke, catching the fear reflecting in her eyes, especially when they slid back to Ella.

“Has he been violent?” I asked.

Katherine looked away until her gaze fell to the floor, a small nod following.

Rage ripped through my blood at the idea of Daniel hurting his already fragile, healing wife.

Piece of shit.

“I’m sorry, Katherine,” I murmured. “For everything you went through. The attack must have been horrifying.”

She nodded. “Believe it or not, it’s not the first time I’ve survived an attack like that. But it was the first time I’ve experienced it as a mother,” she said sadly.