couple of months ago.”
“ That’s what I thought, too.”
“ Laney, I’m not understanding this. Why would Victoria send someone to look out for you? And when did you meet her before?”
Patrick could feel the tremble in Laney ’s hand. She looked at him, tears in her eyes. “Fiona McPhearson. Mom.” She paused. “She wasn’t my biological mother.”
Patrick stared at her, waiting for more of an explanation.
But Laney stayed silent.
He reached his hand up to cup her cheek. Did she have a concussion? Had she been hurt worse than he knew during the attack? What was this nonsense? “Laney, honey, what are you talking about?”
Laney ’s words came out in a burst. “Victoria gave birth to me on January twenty-sixth. But she said she had to give me away to protect me. Mom and Dad’s daughter, their biological daughter, your niece, she died. Victoria had me take her place.”
Patrick paused, his concern growing. “Did you hit your head? Maybe we should take you to the hospital, get you checked out.”
Laney stood up, her hands in fists, tears in her voice. “I’m not imagining this. I’m not hurt or delusional. I saw proof. I’m not their daughter. I’m not your—” Her voice broke. “I’m not your niece.”
Patrick fell back on the couch. It couldn’t be true. But as he looked at Laney’s face, he knew that at least she believed it was. And Laney wasn’t easy to convince. “Are you sure?”
Laney nodded, her voice shaky. “I am.”
“ Why are you sure?”
“ I saw blood tests. There’s no way I could be Fiona and Derek McPhearson’s biological daughter.”
Visions of Fiona ran through Patrick’s mind. She’d been younger than him, with red hair, just like Laney. And he remembered the heartache in her voice when she called to tell him that the baby she carried wouldn’t survive. And then, the miracle: Laney was born, happy and healthy.
Laney had led a normal life, until this last year. Patrick had worried about how she seemed to keep getting caught up in these Atlantis situations. Was it possible that Laney really was someone else’s daughter?
Patrick was glad he was sitting, because his legs felt weak. He felt like the rug had been pulled out from under them. It couldn’t be true, though, could it?
Laney sat back down across from him. He knew she was trying to be strong, to hold back the emotions that were no doubt rushing through her.
Patrick leaned over and kissed her cheek, pulling her into a hug. “Even if it’s true, it doesn’t change anything, Laney. I love you.”
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. Laney wrapped her arms around his waist.
They stayed huddled together for a long time. Patrick knew Laney needed the comfort, the assurance. But his mind kept trying to figure out how any of what she said could be possible.
F inally, he pulled back, kissing her on the forehead. “I love you, honey. None of this, if it’s true, changes that. But right now, I need to go. I’ll be back.”
Laney looked as if she ’d been slapped. Patrick hugged her again before standing. He hated the hurt he was causing her, but he needed answers. He needed more.
He left the living room and strode down the hall to the front door before his resolve left him. The image of Laney’s anguished face pulled at him.
Jerking open the front door, he was surprised to see Henry sitting on the porch, Jake next to him. Patrick stepped onto the porch and nodded at Jake, who slipped into the cottage, closing the door behind him.
Henry stood, speaking quietly. “I have the helicopter standing by. Claude knows where to take you. There will be a car with directions waiting for you. I’m sorry, but I can’t have Claude drop you right at her door.”
Patrick hadn ’t even realized where he was going to go until Henry spoke. Victoria. He needed to see Victoria.
Patrick nodded, heading down the steps, but then stopped and turned to look at the tall man.
“ That’s what I thought, too.”
“ Laney, I’m not understanding this. Why would Victoria send someone to look out for you? And when did you meet her before?”
Patrick could feel the tremble in Laney ’s hand. She looked at him, tears in her eyes. “Fiona McPhearson. Mom.” She paused. “She wasn’t my biological mother.”
Patrick stared at her, waiting for more of an explanation.
But Laney stayed silent.
He reached his hand up to cup her cheek. Did she have a concussion? Had she been hurt worse than he knew during the attack? What was this nonsense? “Laney, honey, what are you talking about?”
Laney ’s words came out in a burst. “Victoria gave birth to me on January twenty-sixth. But she said she had to give me away to protect me. Mom and Dad’s daughter, their biological daughter, your niece, she died. Victoria had me take her place.”
Patrick paused, his concern growing. “Did you hit your head? Maybe we should take you to the hospital, get you checked out.”
Laney stood up, her hands in fists, tears in her voice. “I’m not imagining this. I’m not hurt or delusional. I saw proof. I’m not their daughter. I’m not your—” Her voice broke. “I’m not your niece.”
Patrick fell back on the couch. It couldn’t be true. But as he looked at Laney’s face, he knew that at least she believed it was. And Laney wasn’t easy to convince. “Are you sure?”
Laney nodded, her voice shaky. “I am.”
“ Why are you sure?”
“ I saw blood tests. There’s no way I could be Fiona and Derek McPhearson’s biological daughter.”
Visions of Fiona ran through Patrick’s mind. She’d been younger than him, with red hair, just like Laney. And he remembered the heartache in her voice when she called to tell him that the baby she carried wouldn’t survive. And then, the miracle: Laney was born, happy and healthy.
Laney had led a normal life, until this last year. Patrick had worried about how she seemed to keep getting caught up in these Atlantis situations. Was it possible that Laney really was someone else’s daughter?
Patrick was glad he was sitting, because his legs felt weak. He felt like the rug had been pulled out from under them. It couldn’t be true, though, could it?
Laney sat back down across from him. He knew she was trying to be strong, to hold back the emotions that were no doubt rushing through her.
Patrick leaned over and kissed her cheek, pulling her into a hug. “Even if it’s true, it doesn’t change anything, Laney. I love you.”
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. Laney wrapped her arms around his waist.
They stayed huddled together for a long time. Patrick knew Laney needed the comfort, the assurance. But his mind kept trying to figure out how any of what she said could be possible.
F inally, he pulled back, kissing her on the forehead. “I love you, honey. None of this, if it’s true, changes that. But right now, I need to go. I’ll be back.”
Laney looked as if she ’d been slapped. Patrick hugged her again before standing. He hated the hurt he was causing her, but he needed answers. He needed more.
He left the living room and strode down the hall to the front door before his resolve left him. The image of Laney’s anguished face pulled at him.
Jerking open the front door, he was surprised to see Henry sitting on the porch, Jake next to him. Patrick stepped onto the porch and nodded at Jake, who slipped into the cottage, closing the door behind him.
Henry stood, speaking quietly. “I have the helicopter standing by. Claude knows where to take you. There will be a car with directions waiting for you. I’m sorry, but I can’t have Claude drop you right at her door.”
Patrick hadn ’t even realized where he was going to go until Henry spoke. Victoria. He needed to see Victoria.
Patrick nodded, heading down the steps, but then stopped and turned to look at the tall man.
Similar Books
