Page 78 of Wilder Heart

“Dad,” Mary-Beth tried again.

Lain’s face twisted in disbelief. “What? That’s what you’re mad about?”

“Why’s Grandpa mad at Uncle Wilder?” Annalise asked.

Emily patted Mary-Beth’s shoulder and then reached for Annalise’s hand. “He’s not mad, sweetie, just worried. Come on, let’s go see what else that vending machine had. I could use a snack.”

Lain waited, lips pursed, until Annalise was out of the room. Then he calmly took a breath and said, “I didn’t ‘leave him in charge’ of them?—”

“You should have been here!” Robert interrupted. “You’re her husband! You’re supposed to be here when she needs you! Not your white trash, murdering brother!”

Wilder couldn’t hide the shock on his own face, and Mary-Beth’s mouth opened in offense. Cash’s hand tightened on his shoulder.

“Dad!”

“We thought we had more time!” Lain said.

Wilder tried not to be offended by Lain’s lack of denial at the ‘white trash, murdering brother’ part.

“She was scheduled for a C-section six weeks from now. I was only supposed to be gone for one night. We thought?—”

“They recommend pregnant women don’t travel for two months before their due date just in case they go into labor early. It never occurred to you that that was possible?”

“Of course it occurred to me,” Lain said, running a hand down his face. “We were just hoping for the best. Both of us.”

“That’s true, Daddy, I told him to go,” Mary-Beth added.

Robert ignored her. “You’re a father and a husband, Lain. You have to do more than hope. You have to be there. It shouldn’t have been him driving them here and holding her hand and keeping Annalise entertained. It should’ve been you!”

“He’s here now,” Wilder said begrudgingly. Maybe Lain wouldn’t defend him, but Wilder wasn’t just going to stand there and let Robert walk all over him. He’d never been good at letting Lain take the punches, after all. Some things never changed.

Robert’s lip curled. “What?”

“I said he’s here now! That’s what counts, right? He turned around and came right back as soon as he got my message.”

“He missed the birth of his sons,” Robert said. “And I told you toleavewhen he got here. What are you still doing standing there?”

Drawing himself up, he stepped away from Cash and snapped, “Hey, asshole, this is my family, too!”

“Youmurderedyour father!” Robert roared. “Brutally, too, if I recall correctly. What do you know aboutfamily? Take a look at yourself! You’re wearing prison tattoos like what you did is some kind of badge of honor. You’re a monster!” He whirled on Lain. “You let a monster into your home with my girls, Lain, and that is unforgivable. Men like him don’t change, and you’re a fool if you think you can let that snake around anything you care about.”

“Daddy, that’s enough,” Mary-Beth said sternly. She was still groggy and pale, and Wilder cast her a wan look. She shouldn’t be having to deal with any of this so soon after giving birth.

But Lain, looking weary and almost gaunt, like the years had aged him twice as fast, looked at Wilder and said, “You should just go.”

It felt like a sucker punch straight to the solar plexus. He couldn’t suck in enough air. Mary-Beth gaped at his back, and Robert straightened, looking triumphant.

“Lain,” he started, casting about for something,anything,to say.

Lain shook his head, carding his fingers roughly through his hair. “Just go! Okay? I can’t—I can’t deal with this right now. I’m here now, so you don’t need to stay. You being here is just making everything worse. Just get out of here.”

Wilder was rooted to the spot, his breaths harsh and his chest aching. He thought shivs hurt. They were nothing compared to Lain’s careless dismissal. The worst part was that he couldn’t even deny Lain’s words. This whole argument was because of him. If he was gone, the drama would be, too. His presence was making things harder for Mary-Beth, who deserved to rest.

That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, though.

“You heard him,” Robert said coolly.

“Dad, that isenough,” Mary-Beth said poisonously.

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