Severance (Entangled Series Book 2) Page 13

  Bonnie covers her mouth as she gasps. “Oh, my goodness.” Her eyes quickly fill with tears as her hand falls from her face. “We were led to believe that neither of you wanted her… but here you are now.”

  “We’re not here to take Mia from you,” Dahlia explains, keeping her voice even and gentle. “We simply wanted the chance to meet her. She’ll never have to know who we really are to her.”

  Bonnie nods quickly as she wipes away a stray tear. “We would like to keep it that way,” she admits. Her eyes are troubled as they shift between the two of us. “She’s a very happy little girl and we don’t want to create any turmoil in her life.”

  “The last thing that we want to do is disrupt her life.” Bonnie’s eyes land on me as I speak in a softer tone. “We just want to meet her.”

  She’s our daughter, the miracle that we created together. Rightfully, Mia is ours and there’s nothing to stop us from taking her from their grip. But for Mia, it isn’t the right thing to do. Bonnie and Paul are all that she has known and what kind of people would that make us to completely uproot her like that?

  Hell, we don’t even know what kind of people we are anymore. We’re not in a place to take her from them, not when we still need to figure out our own life together.

  “Will you at least give us that?” Dahlia asks quietly.

  Bonnie glances between the two of us before nodding slowly. “You two wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want you to.”

  Her face is soft, her voice vulnerable, but there’s a threat laced within her words. My body grows rigid and Dahlia sighs. Where I’m ready to fight, she’s ready to submit. This isn’t a fight to be won, it’s a compromise and an opportunity that we should be grateful for.

  “Where is she then?” I ask as I survey the room, taking a mental note of how silent it is in the house.

  Folding her hands in her lap, Bonnie fidgets nervously in her seat as her eyes drop to her feet. The uncomfortable silence settles in the air around us as it fills the room.

  The house is too quiet and a happy child would be heard… if she was actually here.

  Dahlia

  Kai’s back straightens as he sits forward in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. There’s an awkward tension between the two of them, as if it’s some sort of power struggle, but there’s no power to be gained here.

  I just want to see her; I need to see for myself that she is happy and being cared for.

  We both stare at Bonnie expectantly, as she’s abnormally silent. Kai cracks his knuckles and the irritation rolls off his body in waves. His patience is waning and I need to intervene before this heads south.

  “Bonnie,” I break through the silence and her eyes quickly find mine. “Where is Mia?”

  “When I said that she was a happy little girl, I wasn’t lying,” Bonnie evades my question with a sad smile. “We were never able to have children of our own and were looking into adoption. That’s when your mother and Anthony got in touch with us. Your mother knew of our struggles from my mom and when she said that she had found us a baby, we couldn’t say no. Anthony handled the legalities, although I am beginning to question whether anything that they did was legal…” Her voice trails off as she stares at the wall behind me. “We signed NDA’s and all of the paperwork required and that’s how we ended up with Mia. We had so many questions, but now I can see that we were fed so many lies.”

  “They told you she was a rape baby, didn’t they?” I ask her bluntly as I stare her down. Kai’s head turns quickly in my direction and I feel his eyes on me as I avoid his gaze.

  Bonnie’s lips are pursed as she nods lightly.

  “She wasn’t,” I admit. “The specifics aren’t important, but she was made out of love and I loved her father very much.” I look over at Kai and take his hand in mine. “And I still do.”

  “But surely you knew that you were pregnant?” Bonnie questions me with a confused and conflicted expression.

  Kai squeezes my hand as I shake my head. “It’s complicated… but no, we didn’t realize it back then.”

  “Oh, my goodness,” Bonnie breathes. “You poor things. I had no idea that neither of you knew. We knew that the two of you were young, so it wasn’t something that we really questioned.”

  It makes sense, given the information they received, but it doesn’t make any of this right.

  I don’t know what is right or wrong right now.

  “Where is she?” Kai interjects, the irritation laced within his words.

  “Mia is out back with Paul practicing for her horse show on Saturday,” Bonnie finally admits. I let out a sigh of relief after expecting the worst, that she wasn’t here. “I wanted to talk to the two of you first.”

  “Have we proven ourselves as worthy?” Kai scowls with a snarky tone.

  Bonnie stares at him and tilts her head to the side. “Mia’s a great kid, always positive and happy, even as a baby.” She pauses as a small smile plays on her lips. “She has an arrogant streak, one she doesn’t show often. Clearly she inherited your attitude.”

  “Good to know,” Kai grumbles as I chuckle lightly. It’s the first time I’ve really smiled since coming here.

  Rising to her feet, Bonnie smiles down at us before heading to the back door. “Let’s go outside. I think it’s time you two meet our precious little girl.”

  Quietly, we follow Bonnie outside with our anxiety not far behind us. She leads us down the path through the yard that leads to a small barn, surrounded by a pasture on either side.

  We walk around to the back of the barn and our footsteps come to a stop as we reach the fence surrounding a riding arena. Dahlia inhales sharply as my body stills and Bonnie looks over at us with a warm smile.

  As they float around the arena, Mia looks so tiny and delicate seated upon her black horse. It’s as if we’re watching a dance with the way her little body moves in a fluid motion as her horse canters past us.

  We’re both struck with awe and watch her in amazement as they effortlessly soar over the vertical combination jumps in the center of the ring. She’s oblivious to our appearance as she is lost in her own little world, completely in her element.

  Paul walks across the ring to us as Mia lands the last jump perfectly. He waves her over as she circles her horse around the ring, slowing down to a trot. Her horse slows down to a walk just as she reaches us and stops in front of Paul.

  “Paul, this is Kai and Dahlia,” Bonnie says to him as Mia climbs down from her horse. Paul turns toward us and smiles as he takes us in.

  “It’s nice to finally meet the two of you,” he replies with his hand outstretched. We both quickly take our turns shaking his hand before turning our attention back to Mia. Her small figure stands behind him as she rubs the small white swirl between her horse’s eyes.

  Paul takes the reins from her and glances back at us. “Mia, we have some visitors,” he says lightly, guiding her toward us. “This is Kai and Dahlia. Remember, we told you that they know Grandma May?”

  Mia nods as she unsnaps the buckle under her chin and pulls her helmet off. Long dark brown curls fall down her back and she greets us with a smile that meets her soft brown eyes.

  Kai gasps lightly and grabs onto my hand tightly as I stare into the eyes that mirror his.

  Holy fucking shit.

  It hits me like a ton of bricks. This is reality, she’s our reality.

  Mia is our daughter.

  Glancing over at Kai, his soft brown eyes meet mine and he smiles. The look on his face is pure and his smile reaches his eyes as they travel from me to the beautiful girl that we created together.

  Our daughter.

  “Hi!” Her voice is like a soft melody floating through the air. Her excitement surrounds us and I feel the smile creeping onto my face.

  “That was amazing what you just did,” I breathe in awe.

  Mia giggles as she twirls her helmet by her side. “It wasn’t just me. Domino did most of the work.”

  “Well, the two of
you make a perfect team.” Kai smiles and winks at her. “There’s no way that I could ever do something like that.”

  “Sure you could!” Mia exclaims. “All it takes is a little bit of practice.” She pauses and smiles back at him. “Do you want to ride him?”

  Kai clears his throat and swallows hard. “I am good right here, on my own two feet.”

  “Are you afraid of horses, Kai?” I question him with a chuckle.

  “Domino would never hurt you!” Mia lets out as Bonnie and Paul laugh along.

  Kai cuts his eyes at me. “I am not.”

  “I think you and Domino both had a good ride,” Paul says, lightly grabbing her shoulder. “How about we get him back into the barn? Maybe Kai and Dahlia would like to help you.”

  Mia’s soft brown eyes shine at us as she looks up at us, grabbing the reins from Paul.

  “We would love to.”

  Her eyes light up even more and her smile takes over her face as she leads Domino out of the arena and we follow her up to the barn.

  Kai

  Watching the two of them together feels surreal and it’s as if I’m caught up in a dream. Dahlia and Mia connected instantly and they work together, laughing and smiling with such ease. Together, they strip Domino of his tack and groom him as if it’s something they do all the time.

  Bonnie and Paul stand silently beside me, witnessing the same undeniable connection in amazement. I know they can feel it too and I’m not the only one that is shook to the core from it.

  Nothing between Dahlia and our daughter is forced or strained. It’s completely organic and natural and a part of me breaks inside, knowing that this is all we’ll ever have. But my heart swells, seeing them together and I can’t stifle the grin that refuses to leave my face.

  As they finish grooming Domino, the brush slips from Mia’s hand as she unties his lead rope. She hands the rope to Dahlia with a smile as she crouches down to grab the brush. Mia’s body sways as she quickly stands back up and Dahlia reaches out to steady her.

  Dahlia’s eyes mix with concern with her eyes on Mia, watching her wipe her nose with her hand. From across the aisle, I can see the blood smeared on her hand and Dahlia’s eyes widen in shock. Bonnie gasps as she sees the blood dripping from Mia’s nose.

  “Oh, honey,” Bonnie rushes over to Mia, quickly pulling her to her side. “Let’s get you inside and cleaned up so you can rest.”

  Dahlia and I stare after them, feeling the aftershock, as Bonnie ushers her into the house. It was a simple nosebleed, but they treated her as if she were broken.

  “We think they’re stress related,” Paul explains from behind us as he closes the stall door. “The nosebleeds and her getting tired easily.”

  “Bonnie said she’s a happy kid,” I scoff, partially in disbelief. “What kind of stress could she possibly have?”

  “Mia is a gentle soul, but there’s a fire inside of her that she holds onto tightly. She’s very competitive and she tends to get anxious when she has a big show coming up.”

  My eyes follow him harshly as he stops beside us. “Why the fuck would you let her keep doing it then?”

  Paul shrugs lightly and purses his lips. “Because it’s something she enjoys doing.” Turning his back to us, Paul follows the same path that Bonnie did, back to the house. “Are you two coming?” he calls out over his shoulder.

  Dahlia glances at me with a small frown and her eyebrows pinch together. Grabbing her hand, I can feel the anxiety vibrating off her. I give her a small squeeze, in an effort to calm her nerves and we follow Paul back into the house.

  Paul is filled with pride as he rambles about how well behaved Mia is and how well she does in school. Dahlia and I listen to him silently, taking in everything he says as we try to curb our own anxiety.

  After a short while, Bonnie comes down the stairs and sits down at their kitchen table. Her face is weary as her eyes slide between the two of us. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but Mia is feeling pretty tired and should rest for a little while.”

  “That’s perfectly fine.” Dahlia offers her a warm smile. “We don’t want to intrude any more than we already have.”

  “Nonsense,” Paul says as he sits down next to Bonnie who gives him a sideways glance. “Mia seemed very happy to meet the two of you.”

  She met us, but only as Dahlia and Kai. She doesn’t know who we really are.

  “Mia asked if the two of you would come say goodbye to her before you left,” Bonnie says quietly. “Her room is the first door on the left.”

  Dahlia’s eyes shift to mine briefly before turning back to Bonnie and Paul, nodding lightly. “Of course. We’ll go see her now.”

  Grabbing my hand, Dahlia leads me up the stairs but her footsteps fall short as we stop in front of Mia’s bedroom door. “This is it,” she says solemnly as a wave of sadness passes through her eyes as they search mine.

  Reaching up, I lightly stroke the side of her face. “You know we can’t take her with us, bambolina.”

  “I know,” she admits quietly. “She has a good life here… it’s what is best for her.”

  “We’re doing the right thing,” I assure her, squeezing her other hand gently.

  Dahlia nods and gives me a small smile. “Let’s go say our goodbyes.”

  ◆◆◆

  It was short and sweet and over before we knew it. Saying goodbye wasn’t as easy as I expected but we both knew that it was the right thing for her.

  Dahlia was quiet and left with rushed words and a heavy heart. I know that it hit her harder than she planned, regardless of right and wrong.

  After saying my goodbyes and trying to make light of the situation, I follow after Dahlia, feeling the heaviness in every step I take.

  She’s safe here. She’s loved and they take care of her. I have to trust that they will protect her, no matter what.

  “Will you guys come visit me again?” Her tiny voice is hopeful as it floats across the room, following me to the door.

  Turning back to face her, my knuckles turn white as I tighten my grip on the doorknob and plaster on a smile and nod. “We will.”

  If only she knew, if only we could take her with us…

  Mia’s smile is bright, shining across her tired face as she gives me a satisfied smile and closes her eyes.

  When the time is right, we will be back… one day.

  Dahlia

  “Hello?” Tierney answers hesitantly.

  “Hey, T.”

  She gasps loudly into the phone. “Dali? Where the fuck have you been, girl?”

  “It’s a long fucking story.” I chuckle lightly.

  “I got all the time in the world, baby.” She hits me with the seductive voice that she uses on the men at the club. “Are you busy right now? I can meet you somewhere if you want to meet up.”

  Looking over at Kai, my eyes trail up his body as he stands by the glass window, watching the planes. “I can’t.” I pause. “I’m leaving New York, T.”

  “What the fuck?” Tierney breathes and then she falls silent for a moment. “Are you with him?” She asks quietly.

  “I am.” I smile.

  “Are you good with him?”

  Kai glances over and his eyes meet mine with a smile. “I am,” I tell her, smiling back at Kai.

  “If he fucks up, he’s done, Dali. I don’t give a shit who he is… I’ll fucking end him.”

  I laugh out loud and shake my head. I can see her now, with her face red and her eyes wild. “I know you will.” Tierney doesn’t fuck around.

  Tierney sighs as the somberness of me calling her hangs in the air. “I have questions, so many questions, but they can all wait. Let me know when you get wherever it is that you’re going, so I know you’re safe. Okay?”

  “Of course,” I tell her, honestly. “After we get settled, you’ll have to come visit.”

  “Better be somewhere warm,” she mumbles and I laugh.

  “I need one other favor.”

  I swear I hear her ey
es roll through the phone. “Of course you do. Lay it on me, sister.”

  “Tell Vin that I’m not coming back.”

  “You’re kidding,” Tierney scoffs. “You can’t call him yourself?”

  “I really don’t feel like opening up that can of worms,” I explain. “I owe him no explanation and he’s going to ask too many questions and then I’ll miss my flight because I’ll be too busy strangling him.”

  “Jesus, cut the dramatics.” Tierney laughs lightly. “Fuck. I’ll tell him, if you promise you’re gonna chill the fuck out.”

  “I promise.”

  “Consider it done,” Tierney confirms and I hear the smile in her voice. It’s a sad goodbye, but I’ll see her again. One day, when I’m in a better place, I’ll have more room in my heart for people like her.

  The kind of people that didn’t leave when shit hit the fan.

  I glance over at Kai who’s watching me with a grin playing on his lips.

  My people.

  ◆◆◆

  The engine rumbles as the plane slowly drives onto the long runway. We’ll be in the air in a matter of minutes, leaving the place that harbors our nightmares behind. But that same place is home to our greatest blessing.

  Mia.

  We weren’t leaving her behind, we’re simply leaving her where she belongs. As hard as it is to accept, her life is with her family and she deserves to have a shot at a normal life. Kai and I need to figure out what a normal life even is. It wouldn’t be fair for us to rip her from the people that have cared for her since she was born.

  She’s our child, but she’s their daughter, and we have no choice but to love her from afar.

  For now…

  ◆◆◆

  “Are you sure that you’re ready?” Kai asks as the engine roars louder and our surroundings flash past us.

  Staring into his soft brown eyes, I know this is where I’m meant to be. Every step in my life pointed me in this direction. This was my destiny. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”