Chapter Four

“Are you still mad at him?”

“Yes, and I have every right to be. He doesn’t trust me.”

“All I’m saying is that Mike forgave me.”

Kyle knew Sarah was right and she should move past this and enjoy the rest of her pregnancy with Max and Dimitri, but she wanted to be stubborn. She wanted him to think about what he said.

“Anyway, I’m going to go. Call me if you want to get lunch or something.”

“I will,” Kyle responded while petting and looking at Elliot. She loved her dog; her dog was always there willing to love on her, and it became a comfort to her.

Elliot sat up and growled.

“So the dog is mad at me too?”

“She’s taking my side.”

“I said I was sorry. What else can I do to make it up to you?”

“Treat me like your partner, Dimitri.”

“You know I see you as our equal. I just want to protect you. I promise I’ll make it up to you. Just don’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you; I’m upset with you.”

***

“Why aren’t we moving forward with our plan?”

“Our goal is the baby, not her. It’ll be easier to get to the baby after delivery.”

“I thought you wanted both.”

“The goal is the baby,” she gritted out, “If you have a problem with that, I don’t fucking care. You do what I say, or I’m done with you.”

“Tell me what needs to be done, and it will get done.”

“She’s getting close to her delivery day. We have to be ready, and if you fuck this up, you’ll answer with your life.”

“Why is the baby so important?” the woman sitting in the corner watching the two men asked.

“The baby is the way we get what we want.”

***

“It smells good in here. What are you making?” Max asked Kyle as he kissed her cheek.

“Lamb Pelmeni.”

Max felt the emotion swell in his heart. He hadn’t had Pelmeni since he was a little boy, and it was his mother’s favorite dish.

“Really? I haven’t had this since I was little.”

“I know. I asked Anatoli about your favorite childhood meal, and he said your mother used to make this all the time.”

“Why?”

“Well, I wanted to do something beautiful.”

“Are you still mad at Dimitri?”

“Yes.” Kyle let out a sigh. “Maybe. I feel like he owes me a really good apology, but I also know we make mistakes.”

“Just know that he loves you, and he didn’t mean what he said. He’s worried about you and the baby.”

Kyle already knew everything Max was saying to her, but she thought Dimitri needed to learn his lesson.”

Kyle and Max were in the middle of dinner when her brother came over unannounced.

“Why are you always interrupting us and coming in without knocking?” Max snapped at Ryan.

“I need to talk to Kyle. It’s important, Max.”

“It can wait—we were having dinner.”

“Our mother isn’t dead.”

“What do you mean?” Kyle asked.

“I’ve been looking into the money that we were told she left us, but the reason we couldn’t find it was because she never left it for us; she took it to start a new life.”

“Where is she?”

“She lives in Canada.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“No. I want to, but I wasn’t sure how you would feel about all this.”

“I don’t know.” Kyle was upset, and she felt the urge to cry, but she held back the tears.

She couldn’t believe her mother was alive and willingly left her and her brother to fend for themselves.