"You're doing great."
She stared into his brown eyes. He seemed like a young boy who had just lost his mother. Her own heart melted a little, and she'd help him.
"Peter, relax. I'll text Colt. You call your brother."
Isabella followed the maid. Peter stared down the hall as his mother walked away.
"My mind is in a complete fog. I never thought my father would..."
"Do you think he was capable?"
"Yes."
His eyes were haunted. Unshed tears gathered in her throat.
"There are no words. I'm sorry."
Neither of them moved. Clouds formed in the distance on the water.
She found her cell phone and intended to text Colt, but then she saw how Peter turned away. She answered, "John and Victoria will want to meet their mother. You'll have to tell them. Maybe I should go to my hotel and let you deal with your family."
"No." He ran his hand through his hair and then strode to hold her tight against him. "Belle, I need you to stay."
If she could help him, she'd stay. "Are you sure?"
He then reached around her waist and hugged her. "Absolutely. I'm in shock."
"Okay. I'll get dinner ordered and set."
She ended their hug, but stayed in his arms. Her heart raced because he was so wound up tight. She'd have to stay calm.
"Just tell the staff. We can have whatever you want."
"Peter, be happy. Your mom is back. You thought she left you and never cared."
"I don't know what to think."
"As you said yourself, you're in shock. I need you to relax. Perhaps, you should call John now?"
He took a deep breath. Then he picked up his phone and nodded. "Yeah, I will now."
The moment he held his phone to his ear, she nodded. She found her phone and intended to go find this kitchen of his.
"Okay, I'll be right back. Meet you in the living room we were just in."
He nodded. She strolled through his huge house, but at the first door away from Peter she ignored the grandeur and typed furiously on her phone. Colt, get Victoria over to Peter's mansion ASAP.
He answered back immediately. Why?
Her mother is here and asking for her.
What?
Her mother. Peter just had a delivery from Morgan Enterprises. Turned out Mitch Morgan kidnapped their mom.
We are on our way. Don't let her leave.
I'm on it.
You're the best.
Colt was easy. Coordinating with him felt like they were still friends. Belle turned the corner and saw his mother on the bottom step sitting there with her face between her legs.
Belle sat beside her and heard the tears. "Mrs. Morgan, you're crying."
She placed her hand on the older woman's knee. His mother rocked on the stairwell, as she said, "Belle, it's nothing. Don't mind me."
She was hurt and upset. Anyone in her situation would be. "Be calm, Mrs. Morgan. Peter's calling John right now and Victoria will be here soon. Just give him a little space. He thought you left him."
"My babies, John and Victoria, they must hate me too."
Belle folded her hands together. She had never comforted another before, and her own mother would never walk in the door unexpected. Ghosts were just imaginations of the past.
She swallowed and chose her words carefully. "I don't know about all that. I'm sure they must have missed you. Peter told me how he broke into pieces the day you left."
His mother lifted her head up. "What?"
Belle pressed her hands together. "I shouldn't have said anything. I'll let Peter and you bond. Your other children will be here soon."
His mother's hands shook as she reached out to touch her knee, the same way Peter had earlier today. "Thank you, dear."
Belle stood and wiped her hands on her skirt. "I'm going to ensure that the chef has enough food for when the Morgans all show up."
His mother hugged her waist still, but tried to smile. "You're sweet and down to earth. I'm happy Peter found someone like you."
She pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Why is that?"
"His father would have bought him women, and no one was here to ensure Peter was taught right from wrong."
"Peter doesn't want to be like his father. I understand that more every time I hear what Mitch had done."
"You don't know nearly enough."
"I'm good." From the stories she had already heard about him, she didn't doubt it. She licked her lips and told her heart to stop racing. It didn't work, but she said anyway. "Peter Morgan has a lot of good inside him. Perhaps that comes from you? We came from the hospital where we gave everyone a donation."
Her smile could light up a room. "He still does that? I used to bring him to do that as a boy. It angered his father, but I wanted him to see how others suffered and how lucky he was."
There was so much to straighten out. She shouldn't get involved with the life and loves of the Morgan family. This wasn't her business. A family wasn't something she intended to involve herself with, not after everything, and no mother should like her. She tried to stay reasonable.
"Just relax, Mrs. Morgan, you're home now."
"Again, call me Isabella."
As Belle stood, she nodded and then walked toward the kitchen. She was absolutely sure that she didn't fit in here. She wasn't even sure where this kitchen was. She wandered down the hall and hoped to find it without getting lost.
Chapter Seventeen
Peter washed his face. Nothing could have prepared him for today. His gut was tied up into so many knots. Today seemed like a dream. If he saw his mother again, he had no idea what he'd do.
"Peter, where are you? Where is she?"
His brother's voice boomed from the main room. Peter's adrenaline rushed in his veins. He'd protect his siblings from his mother if he could, not that he had any idea of how to do that at the moment. He swallowed and left the bathroom.
"John, hold on. I'm coming."
Alice stood with her baby in her arms as John shook beside her. His tough as nails brother reminded him of the boy he had once been.
Alice held his arm as John asked, "What did you do? How is our mother here? Where is she?"
His body stayed tight and rigid. No force on earth would stop his brother. Peter pursed his lips. He would not prevent this, but his blood screamed that his mother had left them. He saw her leave, and he had heard how the door slammed. He pressed his hands on the table in front of him.
"She's in her room. I'm sure she'll be here any moment, but, John, I want to talk to you."
John nodded at his wife and then stepped closer. "How did this happen?"
Through clenched teeth, Peter managed to explain as the door swung open. "I wondered what merchandise our father had hidden away and ordered it to be delivered to my house. Mom was the package."
Victoria and Colt came through the door, but Vicki's hand on her mouth said without words that she had heard him. Peter tilted his head and then his sister screamed, "Mom was kidnapped? Have you called the police?"
"We talked about calling Rafe, but she wanted to rest."
“I can’t believe our father did this too! He’s a monster.”