Page 36 of The Next Mrs. Parrish

“At the hospital. She was so out of it that they wanted to check her out. I made sure I didn’t give her anything lethal but of course I couldn’t tell them that. I was granted emergency custody of the girls until DCF’s investigation is completed.”

“I’m surprised you were able to bring the girls back so quickly.”

“It helps when your lawyer is golf buddies with a judge. I’ll have them for at least thirty days, maybe longer. Depends on how long their investigation into Daphne takes.”

“How do you think the girls are doing?”

He shrugged. “They’ll be okay. They were surprised and shocked, but I explained that their mother had done this before. That sometimes when she gets overstressed this is what happens. They’re obviously going to want her to come here. Which is exactly how I’ll get her to come.”

“Okay, well, I assume it won’t hurt your temporary custody if I’m out of here in the next few weeks?”

He shook his head. “No, and your being here is not exactly conducive to my campaign to get Daphne back.”

Amber laughed. “You really think she’s going to come back to you after what you’ve done?”

Jackson walked over to the bar cart and poured himself a bourbon. He gave Amber a sardonic look. “I know this is hard for you tounderstand, but in some women, the maternal instinct is strong. Primal. Daphne will do whatever she needs to make sure the girls are happy and safe.”

Amber felt a spark of jealousy despite the fact that she wasn’t in love with Jackson. What was so special about Daphne that he would go to such lengths to get her back, while he didn’t give a shit about Amber leaving? “Answer me something.”

“Shoot.”

“Why do you want her back so badly? She doesn’t love you; in fact, she hates you. She’s just a suburban mom. Don’t you find her boring?”

He gave her a disparaging look. “Daphne is my finest creation. I molded her into a polished, elegant woman of refinement—qualities you only pretend to have. And I want that back in my life. With more of my masterful honing, she’ll be even more perfect than before. And for your information, I happen to find her anything but boring.”

Amber felt the fury build up and before she could stop herself, she slapped him across the face. Hard. She braced herself for his reaction, but he merely began to laugh.

“See what I mean. You just proved my point. You’re nothing but an alley cat disguised as a purebred.”

– 22 –

DAPHNE

When I awaken and open my eyes, it takes me a minute to figure out where I am. A figure moves to my left, and suddenly I see Meredith’s worried face as she stands next to my bed looking down at me. But it’s not my bed. As my eyes dart around the room, I take in the IV tube running from the crook of my arm to a bag of fluids and the gown I’m wearing. I’m in the hospital.

“You’re awake. How do you feel? Are you okay?” she asks.

“Why—What happened?” I shake my head as if to clear it. The fog slowly lifts and then I begin to remember. The beach. The girls. Taken away by the police. I spring up, needing to get to them, when a wave of dizziness makes me fall back again.

Meredith rests a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, take it easy.”

I look at her and she must see the confusion on my face. “Jackson called me and told me they were bringing you here. Daph, you overdosed.” Her eyebrows knit together in concern. “I didn’t know you were taking antianxiety meds. They had to treat you with something to counteract the pills. You also had alcohol in your blood.”

“No, no.” I shake my head. “I didn’t take anything, and I would never drink while watching the kids. You know that. My therapist prescribed the pills for anxiety, and the last time I took one, it threw me for a loop. I was totally out of it. Tallulah almost called 911 when she couldn’t wake me up. I don’t even know why I brought thedamn pills with me. Jackson must have found them. He had to have done this to me.”

“What do you mean? How?”

And then it hits me. The lemonade. He had to have drugged it. I bet he put Klonopin in the drinks. That bastard, he must have spiked all of them. “He’s lying. He did it. I know he did it.” I tell Meredith about the drinks he brought.

“Unreal! That son of a bitch could have killed you! What the hell is he up to?”

I go cold. The children. “Where are the girls?”

Meredith’s hand flies to her mouth. “With Jackson. A judge issued him an emergency custody order. He did this to get the kids from you.” She goes to her purse and pulls out her cell phone. “You need a lawyer. I’m calling Dean right now.”

—

Hours later I’m finally discharged from the hospital and sitting in the reception room outside the office of Dean Manchester, Esquire. Meredith has already apprised him of my situation, and he’s pulling in the top family law attorney from the firm to help with the case. I’ve been calling Tallulah’s cell phone over and over, and it rolls right to voicemail every time. Now I wish I hadn’t been so adamant about making Bella wait another year to get a cell phone. I keep flashing to the anger on Tallulah’s face at the beach. I spring up from the leather couch and begin to pace again.

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