“He okay?” Ransom stood in the doorway, looking apprehensive. “He sounded really upset.”
“I usually change him at least once in the middle of the night,” she explained. “But Ransom, what the heck are we doing here? Did you transport his entire nursery here?”
“I brought you here,” he said. “Well, Cross did most of the work.”
“What? We’re not in New York?”
“No. You’re in Kentucky.”
“But … but …” she sputtered. “Why?”
“Because I wanted you here,” he stated.
“You … you …” She placed an arm around Evan’s ears. “Dick!” she hissed at him. “You kidnapped us!”
He didn’t even have the decency to lie or look ashamed. “I did,” he said. “It had to be done.”
“Had to be done?” she repeated incredulously. “I told you, we could talk about visitation and maybe even custody when he’s older!”
“I don’t want that,” he said in a low, menacing voice as he took a step toward them.
“Well you can’t have him!” she growled, straightening her shoulders. “Over my dead body will I let you have him.”
“That’s not why I brought you guys here.” He lifted a hand to her cheek. She wanted to shrug him away but couldn’t. “I don’t want just him. I want you. Both of you.”
The declaration made her stomach flip-flop. But she couldn’t go through this again. This time, she had Evan to think about. “You can’t—”
“I was hoping you’d be up.” Sabrina stood in the doorway. She looked at Isabelle sheepishly. “Everything … okay?”
“You knew about this?” she asked accusingly.
“Not when we spoke,” Sabrina answered, then nodded at Ransom. “It was all his idea, and he needed Cross, and so he told me. But the only way I was going to let him get away with it was if I could be here so you wouldn’t be alone.”
“Get away with this?” The earlier feelings of tenderness had dissipated. “You really think you can get away with it? I’m going to tell Lucas—”
“He already knows,” Ransom stated.
“What?” She had raised her voice so loudly, Evan started in her arms. She shot him a glare and soothed her son. “How dare you tell Lucas you’re Evan’s father behind my back! You had no right—”
“Relax, princess,” he said. “I didn’t tell anyone.”
She sighed in relief. “Well, when I tell them you kidnapped me, they’ll come after—”
“They won’t,” Ransom said smugly. “After last night, I offered to shelter you, Evan, Sabrina, and a couple of your most vulnerable human clan members here,” he said. “The Alpha thought it was a great idea. A couple of them are coming in the next few days once we get some of the rooms at the lodge ready.”
“Lucas knows I’m here? And the rest of my family?”
“They know, even your sister,” he said. “And they all agreed it was a good idea.”
“You rotten bas—fink!” she spat. “I—” Evan let out a cry—one that she recognized as hunger. She glared at Ransom. “I don’t suppose you thought to bring Evan’s food, did you?”
“Huh?” He looked at her with a dumbstruck look on his face that said he did not.
“Then what is he supposed to eat?” Evan shoved a fist in his mouth and began to suck noisily as he continued to cry, which earned Ransom another irked scowl.
“It’s a good thing these two geniuses told me their plan,” Sabrina said wryly. “I called Cross this this morning to have him bring Evan’s baby food and formula, plus a couple of your things, Isabelle. His food’s down in the kitchen. I’ll show you the way.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Sabrina.” She glared at Ransom as they passed by and followed Sabrina out of the bedroom.
She had to admit, the log cabin house was much bigger and nicer than she’d imagined. Initially, she thought he didn’t have a home and roamed around like her grandfather did. It was easy to picture Ransom living in here, among the dark, masculine decor and furniture.
The whole downstairs had an open-plan area, with a large living room and a big dining table separating it from the kitchen. Sabrina showed her the fridge, and Isabelle took out a jar of baby food and dug out a spoon from a nearby drawer.
“Let me help,” Ransom offered, reaching out to take Evan.
“I can do it,” she said. “I’ve been doing it by myself all this time, and I don’t need you.”
The hurt that flashed on his face made her chest twinge, but he quickly slipped on a stoic mask. She cleared her throat and nodded to the high chair folded in the corner. “Could you get that ready for him, please?”
Ransom immediately jumped into action, following her orders with careful precision like he was performing surgery and not just unfolding a child’s high chair. “Is this all right?” he asked hopefully.
“It’s good.” She placed Evan in the chair and began to prepare his breakfast of mashed bananas and baby cereal on the kitchen table.
“As I live and breathe,” came a voice from the other side of the room. “I thought Sabrina was pullin’ my leg.”
Isabelle stopped and looked up at the curvaceous redhead who had entered the kitchen area. She walked up to her, moving gracefully in her knee-high boots, jeans, and T-shirt. Isabelle thought she was one of the prettiest women she’d ever seen, with the only imperfection on her face being the faint scar on her cheek. Human, definitely, her senses told her.
“You must be Isabelle. I’m Silke Walker, Ransom’s sister.” She held
