Chapter 2
I picked up the key.
Grant stopped pretending to be hurt.
“Give me that.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
“It belongs to me.”
Noah shook his head.
“I found it.”
Grant’s face hardened.
“Where?”
Noah immediately covered his mouth.
Automatic.
Learned.
I crouched.
“You’re not in trouble.”
He looked at Grant first.
Then me.
“Daddy’s desk.”
Grant laughed.
“He steals.”
Noah flinched.
Vanessa joined in.
“Like mother, like son.”
I stood.
“Explain.”
Isabella’s face went pale.
Vanessa smiled.
“Your daughter likes going through things that aren’t hers too.”
Grant added:
“That wrist didn’t bruise itself.”
Silence.
He realized what he had said.
Too late.
I looked at Isabella.
“Did he do that?”
She lowered her eyes.
Grant interrupted:
“She grabbed me first.”
I turned toward him.
“She grabbed you.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
No answer.
Isabella finally spoke.
“He was taking Noah upstairs.”
Grant rolled his eyes.
“To put him to bed.”
“He was screaming.”
“He was tired.”
Noah whispered:
“Daddy said basement.”
Grant snapped:
“Stop.”
The child recoiled behind Isabella.
I took one step.
Grant stopped too.
“What basement?”
Vanessa laughed.
“This showroom has storage rooms.”
“Then why is Noah afraid of them?”
No answer.
I held up the brass key.
Isabella stared at it.
“I saw Grant use that last week.”
“For?”
“A display pedestal near the private fitting rooms.”
Grant scoffed.
“She sees secrets everywhere now.”
Isabella’s voice shook.
“Because you started locking doors.”
“Because you started snooping.”
Another confession disguised as accusation.
I looked at my daughter.
“How long?”
She hesitated.
“Six weeks.”
Grant smiled cruelly.
“Tell him why.”
Isabella closed her eyes.
He continued:
“She heard one conversation and decided her husband was betraying her precious father.”
I stared.
“What conversation?”
Isabella looked at me.
“Grant discussing North Harbor.”
My face went cold.
North Harbor was Bellandi territory.
Not public.
Not Cole business.
Grant saw my expression.
May you like
Then smiled.
And I understood the bruises on Isabella’s wrist had started when she discovered something he believed she was never supposed to hear.
