Cornered At Christmas. Barb Han

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      “LOOK. I DON’T know what you have going on or what game you’re playing but your problems are not my problems anymore. That all stopped when you walked out on us,” Mitch said through clenched teeth. For a split second he thought maybe his wife had been in a crash and survived but lost her memory or her mind.

      All hope was decimated when he heard her speak. She knew who he was. She knew that they had children together, children she hadn’t once thought to check on in the last year. Those were her choices. This woman’s mind was as clear as water in a mason jar.

      So he stood there, examining her. Anger boiled inside him at the fact that she stood in his home without an apology for what she’d put their children through by making them live the first year of their lives without a mother.

      “My wife is buried on the west lawn at the entrance to her favorite place on the ranch, the meadow,” he ground out, trying and failing to keep his voice at a whisper. He refused to believe that the woman he’d fallen in love with could be so heartless.

      His words were intended to deliver a physical blow.

      “I—I’m sorry for that, Mi—”

      “Don’t apologize to me. I got exactly what I deserved. But they didn’t.” He nodded toward the babies’ room. “Those two didn’t do anything wrong.”

      Kimberly stood there, her gaze scanning the area. She looked scared and a little bit angry. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, she also had that protective-mother look. The one that said nothing and no one would hurt her babies. And he couldn’t ignore what she’d said. Someone had slipped past security and butchered one of his animals on his watch. Could they get to the babies, too?

      Determination radiated off her five-foot-six-inch frame. Standing there, she was just as beautiful as he remembered. Dozens of times she’d slipped into his dreams. He’d imagine her right there next to him in bed. Or bounding through the house with that energy and light only she had.

      Never once did he envision she’d return in the middle of the night with a warning. There were scenarios that had crossed his mind. The loss-of-memory one had always been prominent. Maybe because that would explain her leaving him behind, with his heart stomped on.

      His dead wife standing in his hallway in the middle of the night, trying to convince him to go somewhere with him before she explained what the hell was going on, wasn’t exactly topping the list of scenarios in which he’d dreamed of seeing her again.

      “Please, Mitch. I know I don’t deserve your trust. But believe it or not I’m here to help not hurt anyone,” she pleaded one more time.

      “You can’t hurt me anymore. I don’t care what happens to you.” The words escaped before he could reel them in. It wasn’t true. He did care for his kids’ sake. They needed a mother. But what kind of mother disappeared? Or worse—faked her death? “Why’d you do it, Kimberly?”

      “There was a reason I was so private and never wanted to be photographed or interviewed the entire time we were married, a good reason. Did you ever once think that there could’ve been another reason besides the flimsy excuses I gave that I just didn’t like having my picture taken or that I was just a homebody?”

      “What reason did I have to question you? Until today I had no idea what you were capable of. I still don’t know who you are.” The words had the effect he’d intended—sharp and direct—even though a twinge of guilt tried to worm its way into his heart. Mitch slammed the door on that emotion. He had nothing to feel guilty about. He wasn’t the one who’d abandoned their family.

      “I understand if you hate me but everything I did was out of love.” She seemed to choke back a sob as determination set her features. “No one, not even you, can call me a bad mother. I put my children first.”

      “Here’s a question...” Anger was rising like a volcano that was minutes from erupting. “Why have kids in the first place if you didn’t want them?”

      “Is that what you think?” Her strong facade was cracking deeper. Anger shot from her eyes, which he could see clearly now in the soft light of the hallway. She looked like she was about to spew a few choice words at him but then she must’ve thought twice because she blew out a breath and let her shoulders sag. Kimberly had never looked so defeated. But he meant what he said. He couldn’t possibly have truly known her if she was capable of—what? Faking her own death? Ditching their family? Walking out on him without so much as a word?

      “I cared.”

      “Actions are more important than empty words,” he stated. She wasn’t getting СКАЧАТЬ