Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

Skye

A n unexpected car awaits us in the driveway of Finn's house. A shiny white Mercedes convertible with the top down. As Maddie jumps out of the Uber, Finn curses under his breath. I silently echo him, having a strong hunch whose car it is.

Maddie skips up to the front door, with Finn and me close behind her. The door jerks open before Finn can unlock it with his keys. A tall willowy blonde, dressed in head to toe ivory, stands before us. Kayla. Without acknowledging her, Maddie, clutching Kangy, scurries inside.

Scrunching her face, Kayla plants her hands on her jutting hipbones. "Phineas, where the hell have you been?"

My blood bubbles. Thank goodness, Maddie didn't have to witness this snake-tongued woman's crass welcome. Her eyes narrowing with fury, Finn's fiancée continues her rant, her voice growing more incensed. Her language harsher.

"You're late. We have brunch in twenty minutes with Sheldon on his new yacht."

Sheldon? Could it be? That Sheldon? The one she conversed with that night so long ago at Christie's? That slimeball Hollywood producer who assaulted me? That encounter, as terrifying and vilifying as it was, is long in the past, so why does that name rattle me so much? It's like a memory is banging away at the edges of my mind, trying to make its way inside. My head spins with uncertainty while Finn's jaw ticks.

"Kayla. I'm sorry. We had an emergency."

We. The little two-letter word calms me down, but the name Sheldon still swirls around my head. Forming a question mark. In search of an answer as Finn explains.

"Maddie had a major asthma attack last night. She had to go the emergency room."

"There's always drama with that child." With a huff, Kayla rolls her eyes. "Seriously, darling, except for me, who's more important than Sheldon Greenberg?"

My breath hitches. It is that Sheldon! Finn has no idea he's the sleazebag who put his grubby hands all over me as he never got a glimpse of his face. And eager to put the encounter behind me, I never told him his name or brought it up again. Now is not the time with Kayla ranting.

"He's your biggest supporter and is about to plunk down a million dollars on three of your paintings." She sneers. "That child of yours takes up way too much of your time."

Anger is rising inside me like bile. I want to punch this woman out. How dare she care so little about my daughter? This darling little girl who will soon be her stepchild. My blood runs cold at the thought.

Finn looks at her, his gaze fierce. I can actually see daggers shooting out of his eyes. "Kayla, let's get this straight right now. There is no one more important in my life than my daughter. Do you understand that?"

Kayla gives him a dismissive look. "Whatever. Get ready and let's go."

"I want to take Maddie with me."

She screws up her face. "Darling, are you kidding? A yacht is hardly the place for an impetuous, sickly child, and Sheldon has no patience for kids."

A short, tense moment of silence follows. Then, a wicked smile crosses Kayla's face.

"Just leave her with your babysitter." She fires me a snide look. I remain stone-faced despite the rage that's fueling me to explode.

Finn looks at me imploringly. "Scarlet, I know it's your day off, but would you mind watching Maddie for a few hours?"

I agree. There's nothing more I want to do than spend time with my daughter. Except... spend time with both him and her.

A sudden fury comes over me. I now more than ever need to find the person who took them away from me. If I find them, I may kill them.