“Because I’m the nicest member of my family, I will give you this one opportunity to tell me who put you up to this. Refuse and what I have already said stands.”
Missing nothing, Jake witnessed a shared glance between mother and son. He knew it had been a long shot, but it had been worth a try. Knowing there was no more to be said, he folded his arms and eased back against the door. Pinning a deliberately sinister smile on his face, he didn’t say another word until he heard the sounds of footsteps echoing in the hallway outside the room.
**********
MacKenzie had been to the Ernesto home before and knew her way around. Having an idea of which room they may have placed her baby in, she led the way up the stairs. At the top, she turned left and continued.
About to open a bedroom door, Josh gently squeezed her arm. Responding to his touch, MacKenzie looked in the direction in which Josh nodded, and saw Curtis standing a few feet away. Without a word, he turned and disappeared inside another room. Instinctively knowing who was inside, MacKenzie hurried forward.
With the first sight of her child, she felt as though the fist that had been constricting her heart was finally giving her relief. Noelle was fast asleep, and as she watched, a smile appeared on her daughter’s face. At the sight of the smile, MacKenzie chose to think that her child could sense her presence.
“She’s fine, MacKenzie,” Curtis said after she had finished inspecting the baby.
Lifting Noelle, MacKenzie took a few moments to study Carlos’ brother. He was such a quiet and gentle man. The sheer size and strength of him belied his true nature. Curtis was by no means a pushover, after all he was not only Carlos’ brother he also doubled as his bodyguard. However, he was a man of integrity, and MacKenzie knew that was the reason he had been standing guard over her child.
“What’s going on, Curtis?”
“We’re just trying to protect someone we love.”
“You’re trying to protect my daughter from me?” MacKenzie asked, sure she was missing something buried deep within his simple reply. “I don’t understand.” MacKenzie shook her head in confusion even as her eyes implored Curtis to clarify the cryptic meaning of his words.
“Take the baby and go, MacKenzie. Her bag is over there,” Curtis advised with a lack of inflection in his tone of voice.
“We’ll fight you,” Josh broke into the conversation, speaking directly to Curtis. “Just as your family is closing ranks, we’ll do the same. I don’t know what’s going on, but tell your family that the Kingdoms are going to give them the fight of their lives. You may also want to inform them that if this media character assassination of MacKenzie continues, we won’t stop until everything you’re trying to hide is exposed.”
The only indication Curtis gave to Josh’s warning was a slight movement of his head. What it meant, MacKenzie couldn’t tell. All she knew for sure was that the Ernesto’s were hiding something, and she had been chosen as their smokescreen.
Aware that they would garner no information from him, MacKenzie asked Josh to retrieve the baby’s bag. With one final look in Curtis’ direction, she made her way to the door. Unable to stop herself from giving one last look over her shoulder, she saw a look of sorrow on Curtis’s face that saddened her.
“Curtis...” MacKenzie’s words trailed off; she wanted to say something that would alleviate his look of resignation, but she didn’t have the words. “Tell me one thing; how far are y’all prepared to take this?”
“All the way, little sister... all the way.”
MacKenzie had heard enough; this was only the beginning, and with the cessation of his words, she finally understood that the Ernesto’s intended to destroy her. The only question was why?
Chapter 18
Jake was glad that MacKenzie hadn’t objected to his insistence that she and Noelle stay at the house. That his victory had been so easy was proof of the toll the day’s events had on her.
When Jake knocked on her bedroom door, it was with the hope that enough time had passed for MacKenzie and the baby to have settled in.
With her soft call of entry, Jake pushed open the door, his eyes seeking her whereabouts. MacKenzie was lying on the bed, with a cooing Noelle beside her. The picture they presented touched Jake in a way he hadn’t imagined. That the baby was back with her mother, was as it should be, and the beautiful smile on MacKenzie’s face told its own story. Observing the picture, Jake wanted nothing more than to be a part of the tableau before him.