Page 102 of Stolen Sun

She smiles as though she understands and respects my distance, so I don’t explain myself.

Zander clears his throat, and Declan wraps his arms around me from behind.

“Alright, let’s eat,” Chance says.

Declan brings me to a barstool, and kisses my forehead. He makes us each a plate and sets one down in front of me before taking the stool to my left. After a few bites, I feel my mood lifting.

“Chance, this is delicious,” I tell him, and everyone agrees.

When we all finish eating, we get comfortable in the living room. Declan begins to fill me in on what else he’s learned since I fell asleep.

“When you told your father we had gotten married, it set off a chain reaction. He made several phone calls shortly after, and the news eventually made it to Nate through Veronica. That’s when he made contact with Grant to have you taken and delivered to him in Miami.”

I shudder to think about what lengths he would’ve gone to make me agree to his plans. “What about his mom? She was in the apartment and on the plane.”

Everyone looks at Zander.

He clears his throat. “She showed up right after Nate. She shot at Isaiah and missed. Then, I shot her when she started to aim again.” There’s no remorse in his face or voice.

“Does Grant know they’re both dead now?”

“They’re all together, wherever they are,” Declan says beside me.

“What? How are we supposed to hide all of this?”

“It’s already done,” Zander says.

An entire family is gone in a day. I don’t understand how that can be hidden.

“What about Veronica and the baby? She’s just as much a victim in this,” I ask.

Leah scoffs. “She may have made you believe that, but I can promise you it isn’t the case. She was in love with Nate. The baby may not even be his. Isaiah will have paternity test results tomorrow. She took several clients after she had her IUD removed, but she knew Nate needed a baby. It was her way out of Cordeliers and to stay with him.”

“He just believed her? All of this without proof?” I ask more in disbelief than for anyone to answer.

She shrugs and raises her eyebrows at me as if to say she agrees it was not a good move.

“So, what happens to her?” I ask, still needing to know.

“Veronica will continue to work for Cordeliers after she has the baby. She borrowed a lot of money from Isaiah, so her only option is to work it off,” Leah answers.

“A hair follicle sample is a requirement when joining the club, and we keep records of the girls’ visitors for these types of situations. The father can choose what to do with the baby. Veronica has already said she only wants it if it is Nate’s,” she adds.

“Sounds like this happens a lot at this club,” I say, sounding just as judgmental as I feel right now.

She shrugs. “I think it used to happen before IUDs, but this is the first for us.”

“Us?” Zander asks.

“Isaiah and me.”

“What does that mean?” he asks, turning his whole body to her with a look of confusion on his face.

She stares back at him. Propping an elbow on the couch behind her, she rests her face on her hand as she leans forward.

“We’re cousins. It’s just as much my club as it is his, but it’s best if members think I’m just one of the girls,” she clarifies.

“Hm,” Declan says beside me. “Well, I think that catches you up. Y’all are welcome to stay, but I’m taking my wife back to bed.”

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