Chapter 2

The second punch hit hard. Colton lay sprawled on the ground for several seconds before staggering up to fight back.

"What am I supposed to know?!

"Know how the two of you carried on? How you abandoned the child?!"

Dylan was caught completely off guard by the punch. He reeled and looked up.

Colton already had a pistol pointed at him.

"I haven't even confronted her yet. What kind of woman lets her child end up like this? She doesn't deserve to be a mother!

"I'm taking Mia. If Monica wants her, she can come get her herself!"

Colton picked Mia up and turned to go.

Dylan's voice roughened. "Monica didn't abandon Mia.

"She's dead."

The words had barely left Dylan's mouth when Colton spun around and shot him in the knee. Blood burst from the wound.

"Don't try to scare me with that!

"You think a pathetic lie like that excuses her for abandoning her own child? Tell her to come find me!"

Colton turned and walked away.

Dylan's throat closed up. Unable to speak, he clutched his bleeding knee.

I saw the wound and frantically reached down to put pressure on it.

But my hand passed through him and struck the ground.

My throat tightened.

How could I have forgotten? I couldn't help anyone anymore.

Dylan had looked after Mia for me, but work kept him too busy to watch her constantly. She spent seven years drifting through the streets, surviving on the help he could give her now and then.

He had already done more than enough.

Perhaps it was better that Colton was taking Mia away.

If only Colton's Donna didn't object.

At least Mia wouldn't want for food or clothes.

Mia followed Colton back to the estate. Her mouth fell open at the sight of it.

She had never seen anywhere so grand.

In ten years of life, she'd never seen a road this clean. She was used to shuttling between the docks and filthy alleys.

The wonder on my daughter's face filled me with guilt.

If only I'd left her with Colton back then.

Then maybe she wouldn't have suffered so much.

Holding Mia's hand, Colton slowed as they passed a bed of roses in the garden.

He stopped to stare at them.

I had once wanted to plant roses in that corner, but Colton had always objected. He wanted to turn it into an armory.

Now I was gone.

And the roses were here after all.

Colton was still staring at them when a soft voice came from a little way off.

"You're back. The roses are blooming. Samson was just begging me to come see them."

Beth Rinaldi walked toward him, smiling gently.

The name Samson sent a pang through me. During one of my prenatal checkups, the doctor had made a mistake.

They told us it was a boy.

So Colton picked the name Samson.

When I gave birth to a girl, we decided to save the name for our next child.

I never imagined he would one day give it to Beth's son.

Beth's gaze landed on Mia. Her expression shifted, and her voice cooled. "You went out and came back with a child?

"Who is this?"

Beth studied Mia's face.

Mia was my mirror image.

Anyone could see who she was.

Colton said, "She's Monica's daughter. I found her selling cigars on the street. I was furious to see what she had let happen to the child, so I brought her home. Don't be upset."

Beth's eyes lifted; she quickly masked their chill.

"Why would I be upset? Mia is adorable. Of course I like her.

"But does Monica know? Mia is her whole world. If you simply bring her back, what if she..."

Colton cut her off, scowling. "What right does she have to be angry?

"If I hadn't brought her back, she could've been kidnapped and sold at any moment in a place as dangerous as the docks."

At the sound of my name, Mia's cheeks puffed with anger.

She pummeled Colton with her small fists.

"Don't say that! My mom is the best person in the world!"

The words dissolved into sobs.

I wanted to put my arms around her and couldn't.

Hot tears filled my eyes. I opened my mouth to call her name.

Before I could, Mia collapsed, weak and vomiting, one hand still clutching Colton's shirt.