Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"What's wrong? You freeze up the second you hear my husband's name?"

Bianca watched my blank face and smiled wider, pleased with herself. She reached up and toyed with the diamond necklace at her throat. In the sunlight, it threw off a hard, blinding glint.

My eyes locked onto it.

Van Cleef & Arpels. A discontinued custom piece. On the back of the pendant, engraved so small you'd miss it, was a single letter. A.

For Adelaide. My name.

Last month, Grayson had held up that necklace like a trophy and told me he'd searched all over Europe for it, an anniversary gift. I thought it was too flashy, so I left it in the safe.

Now it was sitting on this woman's neck.

I looked again at the Chanel suit she had on. That was the size I'd ordered at Paris Fashion Week the week before. The diamond-studded heels on her feet were mine too.

This woman had slept with my husband, spent my money, worn my clothes, put on my jewelry.

And now she was going to let my son die.

The anger in my chest burned so hot I could barely think straight.

"Mom... it hurts..."

Leo's weak voice pulled me back. His lips had gone fully purple. His eyes were rolling back.

No more waiting.

I sank my teeth into the wrist of the man pinning me down.

"Ah! You bitch!"

He let go. I tore free and pushed up off the ground.

I didn't waste a second on the useless pen in the lake. I went straight for a mother standing nearby, frozen in shock.

"Give me your EpiPen. Now."

I knew her daughter had allergies too. The woman was shaking, but she dug a spare injector out of her bag and pushed it into my hand.

I grabbed it and dropped down beside Leo. Pulled the cap. Pressed it to the outside of his thigh. Drove it in hard.

Click.

The epinephrine went into him. I held my son tight and finally let myself cry.

"It's okay, baby. Mommy's here. It's okay..."

Ten, fifteen seconds later, the wheezing in his throat eased a little. His breathing steadied, barely. But he was still out cold, and nowhere close to safe. The shot had bought us minutes, nothing more. He needed a hospital, and he needed one now.

"Damn it. You bit one of my men?"

Bianca stormed over.

"Grab this crazy woman. If I don't have her legs broken today, my name isn't Bianca."

The two men closed in again. Around us, the other parents backed away. Not one of them stepped in. Everyone in this city knew what Grayson Kerr could do.

"I dare any of you to touch me."

I shot to my feet and put Leo behind me. I held Bianca's stare without blinking.

"That suit doesn't fit you. You had the waist taken in, didn't you?"

"And that necklace. There's an A engraved on the back. You never even looked, did you?"

Bianca froze. Her hand went to the pendant without thinking.

"What garbage are you talking about?"

"Wearing another woman's things, playing rich wife. You really think that makes you someone?" I laughed, low and hard.

"You want to die?" Bianca screamed. "Beat her. If she dies, that's on me!"