Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 202

Chapter 202

CELESTE

The drive to my mother’s house was a blur of anger and determination, my knuckles white against the steering wheel as Sierra’s words replayed in my head like a broken record.

Felix is cheating on me. I am two months pregnam I could not shake the image of Sierra’s tear-streaked face, the way her hands had trembled as she spoke, the desperation in her voice when she talked about the child growing inside her. My brother had done this. My brother had abandoned his pregnant fiancée on the side of the road to go and fuck Seraphine, the same woman who had been spreading her legs for all the men in the world. Sierra was carrying my niece or nephew, and Felix was too busy chasing after a snake to care.

I had always wanted children, had always dreamed of the day I would hold my own baby in my arms, but Julian had convinced me to wait, to push that joy further and further away until it became a distant hope I no longer reached for. But now there was about to be a child in the family, even if it was not directly from me, and I would be damned if I let Seraphine destroy that child’s future before it even had a chance to be born.

The promise I had made to Sierra echoed in my mind. I give you my word. I will get that woman out of Felix’s life. Just be patient and give me some time.

I had said those words with conviction, but as I drove through the familiar streets of my childhood neighborhood, I realized I had no idea how I was going to keep that promise. There were lines I did not want to cross, things I was not willing to do, but Seraphine had gone too far.

I pulled into my mother’s driveway and parked, taking a moment to compose myself before I stepped out of the car. My mother came out of the house before I even reached the front door, her arms open wide, and she pulled me into a hug that smelled like home and safety and the kind of love that never asked questions.

“I was about to call you to ask what was going on,” my mother said, holding me at arm’s length to look at my face. “You said you would be here in a few minutes and that was hours ago.”

“I am sorry, Mom,” I said, following her into the house. I had initially called her after I left Dominic’s house, telling her I would come see her soon, but the conversation with Pat and then the stop at Sierra’s apartment had taken much longer than I expected. “I got held up.”

“Don’t worry about it, darling. Come, sit down.”

We settled into the living room, the familiar furniture and the smell of my mother’s cooking wrapping around me like a blanket. She sat across from me, her eyes searching my face, and I could see the worry lines etched into her forehead.

“So, have you had breakfast yet?” she asked.

“I have not, but I will have something later.”

Princess. Besides, you have always loved my cooking to death. Do you remember when you were about to get married and you were so sad because you knew you would no longer have access to my food like always? I told you that you could always come over and eat whenever you wanted, but you did not really do that.”

“I am sorry, Mom. There was just so much going on. I should have spent more time with you. I should have come home more often.”

She just smiled at me.

I smiled back and picked up my fork, taking a bite of the food. The flavors exploded on my tongue and I let out a soft moan of appreciation. “I have missed this so much. Nobody cooks like you, Mom.”

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