Rejected Mate's Redemption (Freda and James) novel Chapter 26

Chapter 26
FREDA WHITLOCK
Kaiden had some guts, he dared to come before me just to lure me into his arms again.
Once, I had been the longing lover who didn’t mind when he did but now, it was never going to happen. Thinking back, I realized I was such a fool. Who agreed to watch their mate flirt with another and still love him?
The dumb me.
However, though not glaring, within me I felt the longing to be in his arms again. It was wrong, he was with Safiya now, and they had a child together, I even rejected him, but still…
I needed to snap out of it. This was not the time to submit to Kaiden’s mind games. He was not worth it. Suddenly, a wave of determination washed through me as I thought never to appear weak again. He was my past, the nastiest past and he would remain so. My hands formed fists by my sides when the thought of Fra cisco flashed through my mind. Was I doing the right thing keeping him away from his father even though they were so close?
I have kept them away for so long so I could keep up, right?
There had been no second thought about this but suddenly, it was giving me a dreadful feeling.
Soft chatters from across the room broke into my thoughts
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prompting me to look up. Naturally, seeing the owners of the voices, my body relaxed and my fists unfolded. It was Lyra and Dad. They were seated before the big window that provided at vast view of the beautifully kept porch outside having coffee. And talking. Whatever they had spoken about sure made them laugh a lot. It was a beautiful sight to behold. One of the many memories I would remember when Dad leaves.
Knowing he would not make it was scary yet soothing at the same time. When he’d leave, there were a lot of things he would see no more. First, a wicked wife. And a lot more.
I watched quietly as Lyra helped him up and walked beside him holding his arm in the direction of his bedroom. Lyra was patient and it was lovely to watch as she would wait for him to take a step down the four-step stairs. And he trusted her to wait. To be patient.
They were the perfect duo. Probably the only perfect thing in this house.
Staring at them, I wonder if I would have been that patient. He is my dad, I would but like Lyra? I don’t think so.
Snapping out of my reverie, I approached them, nodding at Lyra curtly when our eyes met before reaching out to hold Dad.
“Dad” I held his other arm gently and a small smile tugged my lips when I felt him ease at my hold. My smile dropped at once when I realized how frail he had become in barely twenty-four hours. This was happening too fast and with everything going on around me now, I was losing my mind.
We got to his room and led him to the bed, the three of us saying nothing to one another.
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“This is much better,” Dad said humorously. I knew he was
trying to lighten up our moods because for some reason, were weren’t chirpy as before.
I chuckled at his remark as we helped him get into his bed.
“Sure it is, have some rest” Lyra smiled as she tucked him into the covers.
Looking at the bed stand, there was no jug of water. What if he needed it? That was the least Georgina could do yet didn’t. All she did was look for who to hound. What a woman!
“Let me go get some water for you Dad,” I told him and he nodded. Lyra jumped into the bed, sitting next to his head and stroking his hair.
When I left his room, I hummed delightfully as I stride to the kitchen but my smile dropped when I was intercepted by Safiya. The look of fury in her eyes told me she wasn’t standing before me for cute sister talks but something else. Something that probably related to Kaiden. I had noticed she looked uneasy throughout dinner. Clearly, she didn’t want me around but why?
“What do you want Safiya?” I asked when she didn’t say a word and mostly because I was getting uncomfortable with her dark stare.
She smirked a bit, folding her arms in front of her, “I should ask you the same Freda, what do you want? Why are you back?”
“It’s obvious but since you’re here again I’ll say it. I’m here because of Dad”
She didn’t look impressed by my response, her frown didn’t fade
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either, “That doesn’t make sense. Dad was here when you left. but you never bothered to come back to see him…”
“Back then, he was healthy and I trusted Lyra could take care of him”
Georgina and Safiya were out of the question to look over father and she didn’t seem to mind that I never trusted her. I can’t believe we came to this.
“And nothing has changed now so why did you have to come back, why didn’t you just remain where you hid yourself?” I watched her with disbelief written over my features, I couldn’t believe she said everything was still the same. Did this woman have any idea that her father was dying?
Sighing, I forced a smile, “Safiya, if you have nothing to talk about other than interrogating me as to why I’m back to see my father then please excuse me”
Safiya chuckled dryly, dropping her arms. Her bitter laughter paused and she shook her head, “Pretending to be innocent now Freda? You say you’re here for Dad but why do I feel you’re here for something else”
My lips parted but she beat me to speak, “Kaiden. Are you here for Kaiden?” Her voice was low, filled with unspoken threats that p**d my chest.
My eyes widened and I gasped in disbelief at her silly assumption. Why would she think lowly of me? In all ways, Kaiden was hers so why would I want him? It was just s**id. The amount of hate in her eyes left me stunned. Safiya hated my presence and It wouldn’t be shocking if she hated me as a person now. Agreed that we weren’t the closest but we had a
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fair bond. What changed?
“I thought so too” She hissed condescendingly, “What do you think? It would be easy to take him from me?”
What in the world was this lady saying? Not knowing how to respond to her s**dity, I stood and let her rant. She looked like she had a lot to say
Fuming at my unresponsiveness, she continued this time with a sly smirk, “Let me remind you then Freda, he’s mine and always will be. We’re together and our bond gets stronger every day. Sex was great in the bathroom early this evening. I believe you remember what he was like, I can assure you that he’s much better now”
She said that knowingly to get a reaction from me. Her eyes glimmered with wicked intent as she studied my face which had suddenly gone pale. They had sex earlier and he came to me acting all innocent like nothing happened. G**d.
I felt my chest constricting painfully accompanied by a burning sensation. Safiya was smirking as she watched my face flood with different emotions.
Shoot! I had messed up.
I knew they would be involved with each other, heck they were married and had a kid but why did that hurt me so much that in a split second, the pain spread through my body leaving lingering sensations?
“So you better stay away from him. You and that little b**d you brought along!” She spat and my face hardened. How dare she call Francisco a b**d?
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I wondered what her reaction would be if she found out the b**d she was talking about was her husband’s heir.
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“Enough Safiya! I know how desperate you are to **d over your husband but take it from me, I’m not here for him neither do I want him. If I did, I wouldn’t have let him off and you know it” Her smile dropped instantly and she glared at me when she got the insult, “Learn to be grateful sometimes!”
I added, sidestepping her to leave but stopped to tell her the most important thing I would say, “Don’t ever refer to my son as a b**d, Safiya. Don’t!” With that, I walked out of the house hoping Lyra would get the water for Dad instead.