Page 118 of The King of Hearts

Her smile is sad as she shakes her head. “I believe we were at one point, but once I realized what Grant was doing to me was wrong, I pulled away from her.” She starts fiddling with the material of her dress. “I don’t know why. Maybe I harbored a hidden resentment toward her because the abuse was happening right under her nose, and she didn’t notice. Or, I don’t know,” she shrugs, “maybe it was because I wanted to distance myself from her in case Grant followed through with his threat and killed our parents. Maybe I thought it would be easier if I didn’t love her as much.”

My heart aches for her. I wish I could somehow erase all of her bad memories and replace them with only good ones.

“Do you think you’ll ever talk to them about what Grant did?”

She thinks for a moment before her reply comes. “I honestly don’t know. Mom died a few years ago from cancer. Dad remarried last year, but I haven’t met his new wife. I partially blame my parents for what happened. They had to have knownsomething was going on, but they never questioned me. I don’t know if I could ever look at my dad and not feel resentment.”

“When was the last time you spoke to him?”

“A year ago, before he remarried.”

I hope Lili makes Grant suffer when she kills him. And I wish I could be there to see it.

Harper walks up to Ryker’s mom holding a flower. More specifically, a yellow begonia, which, according to Ryker, is one of Vivian’s favorite colors. She stands in front of Vivian, the flower twirling between her little fingers.

“I picked you a flower,” she says.

“Harper, honey. Leave the lady alone and come over here.”

“She’s fine,” I tell Lili. “I don’t know if Vivian can hear or understand, but if she can, she’d probably enjoy the gesture.”

The little girl eyes Vivian curiously before setting the flower down on her hand, resting on her lap. Then she turns and skips over to Lili. Lili scoops her up and sets her down on her lap.

“Are you about ready to go?”

Harper’s adorable pout comes out. “Do we have to?”

“We do.” Lili kisses the side of Harper’s head. “You have a date with Lea, remember? She’s teaching you how to make homemade biscuits.”

I grab the end of Harper’s braid and give it a gentle tug. “You know, I used to help Lea in the kitchen when I was your age. I know she misses having a little girl help her. And if you’re extra helpful, she even makes a special dessert for you.”

Harper’s eyes light up. “She will?”

“Yep. That’s how she started making special macarons for me.”

She looks at her mom over her shoulder. “Okay, we can go.”

Lili laughs and sets the little girl on her feet, tapping her on the butt with the back of her hand. “Go grab your shoes.”

We watch her run off. When she passes Loki, who’s still snoozing on the ground, he perks up.

“You have a very special little girl,” I remark.

Lili’s head bobs once, her expression full of love. “I know.”

Harper carries Loki inside, the cat half her body size, while I push Vivian’s wheelchair. As I take her to the library, I glance down at Vivian’s lap. The flower Harper put there is now under Vivian’s hand, and it almost looks like she’s holding it. I don’t know why the need comes over me, but when I stop by Beatrice sitting at the table Vivian sits at for meals, I lean down and press a kiss against Ryker’s mother’s cheek. It’s an odd, compulsive need, and I don’t know where it came from.

I leave them in the library and go back out into the hall. Lili and Harper are waiting on me at the front door.

“Thank you for stopping by,” I tell Lili.

“I’ve been wanting to, especially since we had to miss the wedding, but I wasn’t sure if we should. Harper’s been bugging me to see you and Loki again.”

Unfortunately, Harper came down with a stomach bug the morning of the wedding, and Lili stayed home with her.

I lean forward and hug Lili. “Both of you are welcome any time.”

“Are you sure Ryker doesn’t mind?”

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