Page 93 of Wanted

Weston glanced at me.

“I think we’ll have a look on our own,” I told them. Weston didn’t object. One by one, we inspected the items of the baby store. It took us a long while to get to the clothes we wanted to look at because we were distracted. Soft music played in the background. The colors were warm and inviting. We were alone. Cute teddy bears and tiny shoes stole my heart.

“I want to buy everything,” Weston exclaimed. He had picked up a pair of mini sneakers with red and blue stripes. He’d checked the sizes on his phone to get it right, and now, he didn’t want to let go of them. “It won’t fit in their home. They need a bigger house. The baby… She needs everything that’s in here!”

“Slow down,” I said, fighting back a chuckle. “Let’s get her a romper for now.”

“What about these shoes?” He lifted the cute sneakers he’d fallen in love with.

“A romper and sneakers.” I shook my head, feeling lighter. I could mop around, or I could be happy for my friend. I chose to be happy for her family. “I’m beginning to think we’d have made terrible parents.”

Weston’s face darkened, and he lowered his hand, the sneakers dangling from their white laces.

“Too soon?” I asked.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

I gave him a quick nod. “It’ll be fine. After a couple of years, it’ll all be a distant memory.”

We spent the entire day roaming the multi-story baby paradise. Weston ended up filling multiple shopping carts with fluffy animals, more tiny pairs of shoes, bath toys, and blankets. He chose various colors, which I found strange at first. I felt more comfortable picking up pink items. It was what I was used to from back home.

Night came over Katantia by the time we were finished. The bill that Weston stocked up was massive. I figured that we had shunned away the store’s customers, but the prince had made up for it by buying half the store.

“We can deliver the items to the palace…” the cashier offered, but Weston was distracted by his ringing phone.

“I have to take this. I’ll be back in a moment,” Weston told me, gesturing at the cashier. Overwhelmed, the cashier kept doing his job. I watched him scan the various items we had selected for Aris and Valentina’s future child.

It hurt. I had no choice but to live with it. Life moved on. I was determined to grow…

I heard stomps from afar, but I ignored them. Weston was still outside, and Katantians continued to intimidate me. I preferred to stay away from them…

“We have to go,” a breathless Weston announced. I looked up, and I instantly felt it. There was something wrong. His face was cold and cruel. “Now. We have to leave.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“Would you like us to deliver…”

“No. I… Just keep them in storage. It’s all paid for… We have to go.” Weston’s voice cracked, and he turned around, leading the way outside of the store. I waved goodbye at the cashier, thanking him for his patience with us.

We reached the car, and Weston opened the door for me, helping me enter. Once again, it stung, but I couldn’t do anything about it. In a rush, Weston hopped into the driver’s seat.

“There’s been an incident.”

That was all that he said.

KAMILA

My plants were half dead. Frustrated, I scowled. I could see that Weston had tried, but he watered my poor babies to death. I picked up the shovel, and I went to work. It would take weeks for this backyard to return to its former glory.

Even the fountain was messed up. It hadn’t been cleaned properly, and I could see the contamination. I gagged.

“Kamila, get back here!” Jordan yelled from the veranda. I refused to look back at him. Exhaling, I knelt, and I started picking up leaves. I flinched when I heard his angry stomps approach me. “I need to explain…”

“WHAT?” I turned around. “What do you need to explain? The fact that Fylox was tortured on Katantia? That’s what you need to EXPLAIN?”

“Calm down, and stop yelling. You’ll alert my men,” Jordan instructed.

I scoffed. “Leave me alone. I’m busy here.”