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I frowned slightly. “No. I met her, and she seemed happy he was moving on. Marlon never mentioned her wanting to be with him, either. I honestly thought she was too sick to care.”
“Well, it looks like she wasn’t sick, or at least not in the way you thought,” Memphis said to me. “My hacker got ahold of her medical records. She has several diagnoses, but they are all psychiatric.”
“Psychiatric?” I squeaked, continuing to pat Blaze’s back in an attempt to burp her.
Memphis nodded. “Mmhmm, severe health anxiety, panic disorder, delusional disorder, there’s even a history of two instances of pseudocyesis.”
“The fuck is that?” Ray asked.
“A hysterical pregnancy,” I muttered, covering my mouth with my hand. “Wait, she was in and out of the hospital, even was admitted to ICU and on a ventilator a couple times. How was that so if she wasn’t physically ill?”
“According to her records, she has a history of self-harm. Maybe that explains it?” Memphis relayed.
I shook my head. “Marlon had to know all of this. Why’d he let me believe she was physically ill? Or…or did he? Damn, maybe I just assumed so. Shit! Hold up; do you think…”
“I think it’s a huge possibility,” Memphis said.
“But why would she want me dead after I’d already left him?” I wondered aloud.
“He still wanted you. I’m sure he wasn’t trying to reconcile with her at that point,” Memphis explained.
“And he called her after the twins gave him those pills. After that, the order was canceled. She had him back. She didn’t need you dead anymore,” Ray stated thoughtfully.
“Now, we need to look at her money to be sure, but I think she’s the client,” Memphis said.
At that point, I was honestly speechless.
I was happy. I really was. At forty-two, I’d had an uneventful pregnancy and gave birth to a healthy baby girl. I had a husband who pretty much worshipped me. Was he a little violent? Yes, but he loved me as much as I loved him. Everything about my life was the opposite of what it had been with Marlon. Still, I had to wonder how I could possibly be this dumb. How did I not see any of this? How had it never occurred to me that the woman might want her husband back? I was so busy dealing with hope and guilt and wishful-ass thinking that I couldn’t see past it to the truth. She wasn’t physically sick? That was the part that really perplexed me. Why would Marlon lie about that? Or did he actually lie? The more I thought about it, the more I realized how scant the information he gave me about her was. I suppose he was protecting her, and most of what I thought about her was assumptive.
Damn.
“Don’t do that,” Ray said as he reached to take the baby from my arms. I watched as he cradled her tiny body, gazing at her with adoring eyes.
“Don’t do what?” I asked.
“Don’t sit there trying to figure this shit out about Marlon and his ex-wife or fiancée or whatever the fuck she’s supposed to be. The why or how, the lies he told you about her? None of that matters. You not knowing at the time doesn’t make you dumb or stupid because I know that’s what you’re thinking.”
I gave him a sheepish look. “My bad. I just…”
“You left. You knew something felt wrong. You knew you could no longer be with him. Your mind might not have understood exactly what was happening, but your heart and soul did.” He walked around the bed before putting the baby between us and lying on his side, facing both her and me.
“I never thought of it that way. Thanks for that.”
“It’s the truth. Now, we just got home today. Let’s enjoy being here. Let’s enjoy our baby. Let’s not think about that other shit right now,” he said as he rubbed his finger over Blaze’s cheek.
I eyed him. “You’re going to kill Felice, aren’t you?”
“If we can prove she’s the client, absolutely, but that ain’t for you to worry about. I hate we discussed it while you were still in the hospital.”
“Ray, I’m not made of glass. I’m tougher than you think.”
He looked up at me, brow slightly furrowed. “You think I don’t know how strong you are? I do! But I’m here now; I’m your strength. You ain’t gotta carry this shit. I got you.”
As I lay staring at him, letting my gaze drop to the beautiful miracle lying between us, I felt my eyes begin to water. Everything I’d wanted so badly with Marlon, I now had with Ray, with the added bonus of a fierce protector. My champion.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He frowned. “For what?”
