Chapter 39. Diana

My life after marrying Cadmus had been like a fairy tale.Both my in-laws had been amazing, but Reena had always gone above and beyond as if somehow sensing my need for maternal love. Something I had never had, never knew existed, until her. And I thanked her by running away with her grandsons.

I rubbed my hand across my stomach, which was getting more and more upset the longer I stood there in the living room while Cadmus and his mom had disappeared down the hallway with the babies. I can only imagine what they're saying as I felt the heat of shame fill my cheeks, and I wished for the clock to turn back.

I wish I'd never gone to that mall. Or that I'd seen Bennett before he saw me so that I could've made my escape. I wished for a million things because I had nothing with which to fight Cadmus if he did indeed decide to take my sons away from me.

I felt cold dread fill my heart and spread throughout my body at the thought of his anger and how justified it was. If I were in his place, I'd probably feel the same. Even though I know the truth of why I left, and the fact that had it only been me in danger, I would've stayed, but had to leave when the threat was made against him, I know that keeping his sons from him was a criminal act.

Still, I can't lose my babies. THEY can't be the consolation prize. I fixed my clothes, making sure everything was neat when I heard their voices heading back my way. I wasn't sure what kind of reception I was going to get from Reena, but I was prepared for the worst and braced myself. I just have to remember that it was well deserved no matter what awful things she had to throw at my head.

She came into the room and made a beeline over to my side with her arms outstretched. At first, I didn't know how to react. Was this a trap? It wouldn't be the first time I'd fallen for a setup like this. At least with my mom, I'd learned to read the signs after years of training. As I got older, I knew not to trust any kind of affection and to evade accordingly.

A hug like this one would usually end with some form of physical attack, either a punch to the gut or a slap across the face. So when Reena ignored my unease and wrapped her arms around me anyway, I flinched, expecting the harsh words that I was sure were going to be whispered in my ear. That was another form of attack as well.