Three hours later, it still hadn’t happened. His pulse was still irregular. His equilibrium was off. Maybe it was caffeine deprivation. After all, he’d missed both breakfast and lunch and it wasn’t far off dinner time. He shut his laptop and finally went downstairs.
Violet wasn’t anywhere to be seen but the sight of the kitchen counter reminded him of her midnight snack there. He recalled the softness of that conversation—felt again the stress in his voice, his body. And his sudden exhaustion. He’d basically collapsed in her arms when they’d finally fallen back to bed. Grimly, he opened the fridge, somewhat stunned as he took in the contents. Linda had left masses of food for them. Of course she had. But he shut the door. He had zero appetite.
Then Violet appeared in the doorway and his whole body lurched.
‘Hey.’ She watched him warily. ‘Merry Christmas.’
Hell, it was late afternoon already and he’d not even remembered. She’d been alone all day. His brain was like mush. All he could process was that she looked sexy as hell in the oversized sweater and leggings she must’ve pulled from her Tardis-like overnight bag. He felt the prickling instinct to back away.
‘Do you want some help?’ she asked.
He knew she meant prepping food but his pulse veered and his first instinct was to say no. He rolled his shoulders and tried to relax. ‘I’m sorry about last night.’
He gritted his teeth as he recalled the extent of his confusion. He needed to sort himself out. How did he think he was going to create some semblance of security for Violet and the child if he couldn’t keep his own head together?
‘No, I’m sorry. I—’
‘You were hungry.’ He forced a smile, determined to downplay it. ‘I just had another bad dream.’
‘No, you—’
His phone rang and he’d never been more grateful. He glanced at the screen: Alex.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered to Violet again. But he didn’t bother moving out of the room. Violet would meet Alex soon enough.
‘Hey,’ he answered on the third ring.
‘Roman. I’ve got news.’
Roman tensed, instantly picking up on Alex’s tone. He didn’t sound quite right. ‘What’s wrong?’
Had people heard about Violet’s pregnancy somehow?
‘I’ve found Eloise.’
No preamble. It was not what Roman had ever imagined Alex would call to say.
‘It’s really her,’ Alex continued. ‘I waited ’til I had the results. But they’re clear. She’s your sister.’
Alive? For the second time in less than twelve hours, Roman’s body emptied of all strength, as did his brain.
‘Where?’ His mouth was suddenly so dry, he had to cough out the rest. ‘Where is she?’
‘Manhattan. I—’
‘I’m on my way.’
‘You don’t want to know how...?’
‘Later. I have to see her.’ His heart and lungs stopped. ‘Give me the location.’
‘Roman...’ Alex’s intake of breath was audible and harsh. ‘We need to talk when you get here. I’ll send through confirmation now.’
Roman ended the call and stared at his phone. It wasn’t possible. It justwasn’tpossible. Two seconds later, the screen lit up. An address and an attachment. He opened it. It was a letter from a laboratory. Letters, numbers, analysing, comparing, DNA codes... Sample one. Sample two. Relationship confirmed. The irrefutable scientific proof Alex had always insisted on.
Roman’s empty stomach roiled. The stress of sleeplessness and the strain of emotion over the last few days all swirled together and clouded everything in his head in a mass of confusion.
What the hell...? What the hell had just happened?