Page 103 of Red's Peril: Part 1

It turns out she’s already made an appointment with the paediatrician. I drive her there, with Delly crying nonstop in her car seat. I’m worried as fuck, though Clare seems calmer than I.

In the waiting room, I watch as Clare’s immediately led in, probably due to the volume of Delly’s screams.

I fidget as I wait for news. What’s the worst a kid can get? Fuck, I hope it’s not serious.

It seems to take hours, but by the clock it’s only minutes before Clare returns to me, a still upset baby in her arms.

Clare tiredly smiles at me. “It’s an ear infection. He’s given her meds.”

I stand and look down at Delly. “Poor little mite. Earaches sucks. No wonder she’s screaming.”

“Kids are pretty resilient, Red. Once those meds kick in, they’ll hopefully work quickly.”

Proving mothers know their children better than a man who’s never fathered a kid in their life, Clare’s quite correct. Back at the compound, Rosa takes charge, allowing Clare to catch up on her rest. By the evening, Delly’s almost back to normal, and thankfully has stopped her incessant crying.

But once her daughter has recovered, it’s Clare who now has a problem. Leaving Delly in Rosa’s more than competent hands, she asks if she can talk to me privately. Concerned by the troubled expression on her face, I usher her into my office.

Clare takes a breath and enlightens me without waiting for me to ask what she needs to talk to me about. “Don knows where I am.”

“How the fuck?” In the action of seating, I reverse my direction and stand, resting my hands palms down on the desk.

“The visit to the doctor’s flagged him. He got one of his cop friends to follow us back.”

Now I do flop into my seat and drop my head into my hands. Christ, I fucked up. So worried about Delly and distracted by her screaming, I hadn’t considered Skull was still looking for her. How the fuck had I missed a tail?

“I’m so sorry.” I take it all on my head.

“No, don’t be.” Clare takes the seat opposite me and links her hands in her lap. “He got in touch with my lawyer, who asked me to give him a call.”

“And you did?” I wish she’d come to me first so we could have discussed it.

She shrugs. “The damage is done, isn’t it? He knows where to find me.”

That’s true. “What did he say?” I’m wondering whether we need to batten down the hatches and be prepared for a visit from the cops.

An unladylike snort comes from her mouth. “He told me if I thought he’d have me back again after I’d been in your bed, then I’d have another think coming.”

I bark a laugh. “Bit rich, that, isn’t it?” It was him who’d taken the opportunity to get his dick wet.

“That’s what I said.” Clare grimaces. “But to be honest, I don’t think he really cared. He told me he’s left the house, moved all his stuff out of it and that if I wanted, I could go back.”

“It’s a trick,” I say quickly.

Her brows pull down. “I’m not so sure. Of course, I want to check it out. But he said he’s moved on, that he’s got a new assignment.”

I frown. “With another MC?”

She shrugs. “Even if I asked, he’d never tell me.”

Mentally, I note that we need to find out.

I lean back, folding my arms, and eyeing her carefully. Things had gotten pretty heated between us last night. Do I want to pick up where we left off? Does she? Cautiously, I pose the question, “And what if he has vacated your house?”

She looks down at her hands, bites her lip, and tells me in a soft tone, “Then it’s time Delly and I went home.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

It’s time she went home.

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