Juniper Hill (The Edens, #2)

by Devney Perry

“Yes,” he answered, his voice as cold as ...

“Who knows ab...

“Someone,” I corrected. “Because someone is trying to blackmail my family for money to keep my so...

“Shit,” he ...

“Don’t you dare lie to me. This involves my son. I promised you I’d be quiet, I walked away, but you will tell me. Or my next phone call will be to your wife.”

“You will never touch my son. I will use every dollar of my millions to ruin your life.”

Fear. Good. I was fucking terrified. He could be scared too.

“It is not my wife.”

“It might be this woman I was seeing. We weren’t together long. Six months. My time with her began shortly after my time with you. She was . . . demanding.”

“Goodbye, Oliver.” “Memphis.” He stopped me before I could end the call. “This changes nothing.”

“Nothing,” I agreed and the line went dead.

“Yeah, hi. My name is Knox Eden. I’m the owner of The Eloise Inn in Quincy. I had a guest who bailed on a room charge this week. I’ve been calling around because I guess she’s done it to a few hotels in the area. Any chance you’ve got an Averie Flannagan staying at your place?”

“No problem. Do me a favor, I’m going to call the local sheriff. Don’t let her know I called. Appreciate it.”

“This is my fault. I should have called Oliver sooner. At Thanksgiving.”

“And she would have asked for money until we had nothing left to give.”

A blond woman about my height. Her hands were handcuffed behind her back.

“I know her.” I shook my head, hardly believing my own eyes. “That’s the FBI agent who came to talk to me.”

A cry. From a little boy. My little boy. I took off running. So did Knox.

“You’re okay.” “He’s okay.” Knox wrapped his arms around us both, his cheek on Drake’s hair. “We found him.”

“You’re never leaving my sight again,” I said, holding Drake tighter.

“I wouldn’t have let anything happen to him.” Jill, handcuffed and being pushed out of the room by an officer, had tears streaming down her face.

She stepped closer, running a finger over Drake’s cheek. “Drive safely. I’ll see you soon.”

Drake cooed on the bed, picking up his feet with his hands, while I folded the last load of laundry.

Knox and I had both taken time off from the hotel. When his staff had learned what had happened with Drake, they’d all insisted he stick close to home.

Maybe I didn’t have any Christmas cheer, but there wasn’t a place I’d rather spend my holiday than with his family.

It was a strange feeling to lose your family. It would have been heartbreaking had Knox’s not already claimed me as their own.

Anne had been over three times since Friday, Harrison and Griffin twice. Eloise had come on Friday night after we’d returned from that motel. Talia had been right behind her, insisting on doing a quick checkup to make sure Drake was fine. And then Lyla and Mateo had shown with dinner.

“Nah.” Knox sighed. “Too dangerous.”

“Apparently. They’d become friends. Jill thought she was helping Drake get reunited with his family.”

“Oh, I hate her.” My teeth ground together. Knox seethed at my side. “That fucking bitch.”

“Knox is right, Memphis,” Winn said. “This is not your fault.”

“Because this is a case of child abduction, I’ve reached out to the FBI. They’ve got the resources we don’t to examine Averie’s life in New York. I want the investigation to be as thorough as possible in the hopes that she spends a long while in prison.”

“You’re a good mother, Memphis. Never doubt that.”

“How do we get past this? How do we get past the worst days?”

“By making more of the best.”

“Marry—” “Yes.” I dropped to my knees, not letting him finish, and smashed my lips to his.

Knox kissed me and made today my fourth-best day.

Drake squawked

He tore his mouth away and shot a scowl towar...

“Son, we will work on you...

“He is, you know? Y...

“I know. We’ll get married, then make him officially mine. ...

“I love you.” “I love you too.”

“Until the end of my days, Memphis. You, me, Drake. We’re good, honey. We’re so fucking good. And we’ll add in a bunch of babies to the mix to keep it interesting.”

“I want a big, chaotic family to fill this house. I want to step on toys in the middle of the night. I want to break apart fights and bandage up skinned knees. I want the mess. I want the passion. I want to watch you grow our kids.”

In his piercing blue eyes, I saw that future. It was full of best days.

It was full of love for the man who’d st...

“Promise?” Knox grinned. “I...

She rolled her eyes and glanced down at my wife who was resting on the exam table. “He’s exhausting.”