Chapter17
Peter washed his face.Nothing could have prepared him for today. His gut was tied up into so many knots. Today seemed like a dream. If he saw his mother again, he had no idea whathe'ddo.
"Peter, where are you? Whereisshe?"
His brother's voice boomedfrom the main room. Peter's adrenaline rushed in his veins. He'd protect his siblings from his mother if he could, not that he had any idea of how to do that at the moment. He swallowed and left thebathroom.
"John, hold on. I'mcoming."
Alice stood with her baby in her arms as John shook beside her. His tough as nails brother reminded him of the boy he hadoncebeen.
Aliceheld his arm as John asked, "What did you do? How is our mother here? Whereisshe?"
His body stayed tight and rigid. No force on earth would stop his brother. Peter pursed his lips. He would not prevent this, but his blood screamed that his mother had left them. He saw her leave, and he had heard how the door slammed. He pressed his hands on the table in frontofhim.
"She's inher room. I'm sure she'll be here any moment, but, John, I want to talktoyou."
John nodded at his wife and then stepped closer. "How did thishappen?"
Through clenched teeth, Peter managed to explain as the door swung open. "I wondered what merchandise our father had hidden away and ordered it to be delivered to my house. Mom was thepackage."
Victoria and Colt came throughthe door, but Vicki's hand on her mouth said without words that she had heard him. Peter tilted his head and then his sister screamed, "Mom was kidnapped? Have you called thepolice?"
"We talked about calling Rafe, but she wantedtorest."
“I can’t believe our father did this too! He’s amonster.”
His gaze narrowed in on Colt. He better protect his sister from this in casetheir mother turned out to be worse than theirfather.
Agreed, but they knew that. All Peter could say was, "Victoria, glad youjoinedus."
She came next to John and the three of them formed a small circle. Peter's gaze landed on Belle as she returned totheroom.
“Seriously.” She stayed in the background as Vicki grabbed his arm. "My mind is reeling. Dad kidnapped her orshe walked outthedoor?"
Peter saw himself sitting on the stairwell again as a little boy who wanted his mother. She slammed the door on her way out. "I remember themfighting."
John’s hands were clenched as he said, "Our father always gothisway."
Peter glanced at both of them. They were already asleep when she had glided across the foyer and glanced at him. She saw him.He was sure. "He told us she left. I saw herleave."
“What did she say?” John crossedhisarms.
Both of his siblings had wide eyes. His own heartbeat grew rapid. "She said she went out for air and that our fatherkidnappedher."
Vicki's eyes misted as she slammed her hand on the table next to him. "OhmyGod."
"I don’t know." His chest tightened. There was no way tostop the jitters that rocked his insides. He stilled his body so no one saw. He glanced at both of them. "You bothbelieveher."
John narrowed his gaze. "Peter, why wouldn't we believe this? You knew ourfather."
"I agree." Every muscle in his body wanted to hit something or someone. There was no evidence what he saw was a lie. He inhaled and said, "But I heard her slam the door.I saw the look in her eye as she left. I sat on those stairs and watched her. I waited for hours for her tocomehome."
Belle swayed but kept herdistance.
Vicki's face went white, but she shook her head. "Peter, what did she say? I'm sure you askedalready?"
“Nothing about seeing me.” He pursed his lips. Neither of them would believe him. There was no way she had been heldcaptive all this time." She said what I told you. She went outside for air and then Dad's men took her from thebackyard."
