Forged by Fate

slipped into her mind, followed by a presence she recognized immediately as Adam. She shivered and hoped Garrit would think it only a response to his caress. But something must have shown on her face, because he frowned and stood, excusing himself from the room.

“What was that about, Abby?” her mother asked.

“Ah.” She blinked, trying to ignore Adam’s soft chuckle in the back of her mind. “I think he heard a car. Mia and Ethan.”

“Oh, how wonderful!” Her mother rose and left as well. No doubt on her way to the front door.

Eve sighed and glanced at her father, who didn’t seem to be interested in moving further than the table with the rest of the port. He was refilling his glass. “I thought Mia and Ethan were close by?”

“Oh, they are.” Her father agreed, swirling the contents of his glass. He sniffed at it, his eyes half closed in pleasure. “But you know your mother. She and Mia have always been thick as thieves. And Ethan keeps your sister busy. He’s making her finish her degree at University. Mia wasn’t happy about that at all. As quickly as they got married, I wonder if the poor man just didn’t want an excuse for a bit of peace and quiet.”

She tried not to smile at the idea that Adam had bitten off more than he could chew with her boisterous sister, but it was difficult not to. “Mia can certainly be a challenge.”

Hardly, he said in her head.

It’s rude to eavesdrop. She cleared her throat, watching the car pull up through the window. “Do you like Ethan?”

Her father smiled, sitting back down on the couch. “What’s not to like about him? I never expected Mia would have the sense to marry someone with that kind of stability, but he seems to take good care of her. I think marriage was an adjustment for her.”

“No doubt.” She tried not to think of the number of ways Adam could be abusing Mia. He had given her his word, and she’d know soon enough anyway. Certainly there was no cloud of influence in her father’s mind, and what he described seemed bizarrely normal. “As long as she’s happy, I suppose that’s all that matters.”

“You’ll see for yourself, Abby. He’s a good influence on her.” Then her father grimaced, as the noise of the two women reached them. It sounded remarkably like the squealing of girls on the playground. “Your mother on the other hand…”

Eve didn’t need him to finish. Her mother had always fed Mia’s histrionics. She could hear them in the hall now, and she pushed herself to her feet with an effort. But it was only Mia and her mother who walked into the room. Eve frowned. That couldn’t be a good sign.

“Oh, Abby! Look at you!” Mia laughed and hugged her. “I don’t think you’d even fit on a plane. No wonder Garrit invited us all here.”

“Did you have a comfortable trip?” She was faintly concerned that Adam was alone somewhere with Garrit. “Where’s your husband?”

Mia had already taken a seat next to their mother after a perfunctory greeting to their father. “Garrit whisked him off somewhere.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I’m sure they’ll be along shortly.”

Eve was torn between the need to play host to her family, and the desire to go find them before someone started throwing punches.

Please, Eve. A little bit of a faith, if you don’t mind. Then she heard him sigh in irritation. Your husband asks me to tell you to stay with your parents. Why didn’t you ever tell him we could talk this way? He doesn’t seem very happy about learning it from me. He chuckled. If I had known you were keeping secrets…

You would’ve told him anyway. But she did sit down again. Thankfully with Mia’s arrival the burden of carrying a conversation with her mother was lifted. She wished she could go take a nap. When Garrit came back, perhaps she could close her eyes for few minutes.

You’re exhausted. There was a hint of alarm to his tone. I didn’t realize—Mia never told me that you were pregnant.

Of course not. It probably hadn’t occurred to her to mention the reason they were celebrating the holidays in France. I’m fine. What are you two doing?

Oh, the usual. I’m signing away my soul in exchange for permission to cross into DeLeon lands. Promising I’ll be on my best behavior. Though, it makes more sense now I know you’re pregnant. I thought they were just being more difficult than usual to irritate me.

Signing away your soul is normal?

Her question was met with silence, and the abrupt disappearance of Adam’s mind from her senses. She rubbed at her forehead. At least she was already sitting down. If Garrit had just knocked him unconscious, she wouldn’t have to worry about falling when she went with him. Garrit wouldn’t risk it unless Adam had done something extreme. Not that extreme behavior wasn’t beyond him.

She turned her attention back to Mia and her mother, but she had no idea what they were talking about anymore. Her father was already on his third glass of port. She tried not to fidget while she waited. What was taking them so long?

“Ethan promised me a new car if I finished in the top of my classes,” Mia said.

“How exciting, Mia!” Her mother fluttered. “When will you get your grades?”

“At the end of the week. But I’m sure I did well. He was impossible about it. Always nagging at me about my class work. And studying. I’m sure he’ll be an absolute prat again when the next semester starts.”

“How do you put up with that, Mia?” Eve regretted saying anything the minute her mother looked up at her, her lips pursed.

“I imagine she puts up with it the same way you put up with your in-laws always inviting themselves over.”

“They don’t invite themselves over. This is their home. Mother, really. I don’t see why you’re so upset about it. I knew what I was getting into when I married Garrit.”

“And your sister didn’t?”

She opened her mouth, then shut it at once. There was no possible way she was going to win this argument. And she wasn’t even sure why she was having it to begin with. “I was talking to Mia, Mum.”

“Ethan isn’t any more difficult than Garrit is, I’m sure. Besides, he always gives me plenty of incentive.” Mia smirked in a very satisfied manner, and Eve flinched at the lust of her sister’s thoughts, taken aback by the strength of them. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I only have a year and a half left. It seemed silly not to finish.”

Eve didn’t waste her breath pointing out that Mia had been dead set against finishing her degree not eight months earlier. Regardless of how or why Adam had convinced her to do it, she was glad. It would be easier on her sister to have a degree if Adam abandoned her, or she decided she wanted nothing more to do with him.

She still wasn’t sure Adam wouldn’t divorce Mia when he had accomplished whatever it was he was trying to do. And he had to be trying to do something. If it was to learn about her, her sister was hardly the most effective tool for that particular endeavor. Mia was much more interested in herself than anyone else. The only thing that made sense made less sense than anything else, and Garrit would never believe Adam was actually in love.

Mia stood up suddenly, smiling and holding her arms out to Adam. He had the nerve to wink at Eve before he took Mia’s hands and kissed his wife’s forehead.

“Sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” He turned to her mother and bowed over her hand. “Always lovely to see you, Anne. How was the train? Were the seats to your liking?”

“It was wonderful, Ethan. Thank you. Very kind of you.” Her mother was smiling at her son-in-law with an expression of absolute adoration.

Eve frowned.

Garrit sank to the couch beside her. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“What took you so long?”

He shrugged, but his eyes were creased with stress. “Rien de particulier.”

Nothing in particular, indeed. It had sounded completely particular and incredibly specific from what Adam had said. But her brother turned back to them before she had a chance to voice her disbelief.

“You look radiant, Abby.”

Garrit stiffened next to her, his eyes narrowing. Eve searched Adam’s face for some kind of barb, any hint that he was mocking her. But there was nothing. His expression was warm, and his smile wasn’t even all that