Chapter 179: Her Mother's Love, Part 21, Emergency

JAMES

I try not to be obvious about it; try to treat her completely normally, but Mitch has just had her world turned over yet again. I see her sometimes, watching me; watching me with Charlotte.

What's going on in her head?

She's happy she has her daughter...

... but still walking on eggshells...

Not convinced she's safe?

How much crap can get thrown into a single life?

Her brother... control freak...

Klempner... psycho...

Conners... wife-beater...

And now she walks into this... her long-lost daughter shacked up with two men...

And pregnant...

Is she coping?

?

She's stronger than she looks...

Charlotte's mother...

In my armchair by the fire, my bad leg stretched out to bathe the ache away with the heat, I sip a finger of brandy, losing myself in the dancing flames and the reflected amber glimmer in my glass.

Mitch... Strong enough to survive but still vulnerable...

Klempner... Ruthless... Vengeful...

Intelligent?

He headed a world-wide organisation...