Page 82 of The Devil’s Lair

Chapter Twenty-Five

REBECCA

The last four weeks since I married Tobias have flown by, but now that the flurry of activity and excitement has passed, I’m back to wandering around this enormous mansion like a spare part. Tobias tries to spend as much time with us as he can, but he’s a busy man with many responsibilities. I can’t expect him to be at my beck and call.

I’ve spent a lot of time mulling over the chat we had before our wedding, and I think I may have an inkling of what I’d like to try that allows me to still take care of Isla. Even if I was ready to hand her over to a nanny, I don’t think Tobias would be. Not until he finds out why he had such a powerful reaction to Victoria’s suggestion.

When I arrive, the dining room is empty. A member of staff immediately appears, fussing over Isla and taking our breakfast order. I’m still not entirely comfortable with being waited on hand and foot. Whenever I try to help myself, the staff almost look disappointed, as though they’ve failed me in some way.

Footsteps sound along the hallway, and seconds later, Saskia appears.

“Morning.” She grins at me and gives Isla a hug. “God, I need coffee. What a week.” She flops into one of the dining chairs. “Mainlining caffeine seems like a good idea this morning.”

“Try every morning.”

She points her finger at me. “No lies detected.” She orders an egg white omelet and a large pot of coffee. “How are you doing? All settled in now?”

“Pretty much. You’ve all been so wonderful.”

“You’re family.” She smiles gratefully at the member of staff who brings the pot of coffee. “It seems like you’ve been here forever. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say I can’t imagine Oakleigh without you and Isla now.”

“Seconded.” Christian and Grace stroll in.

Christian high-fives Isla, and Grace kisses the top of her head. My heart swells with gratitude. If it weren’t for Tobias and this family having my back, I know, with utter certainty, I’d have lost custody of Isla. Felicity would have swept in with her fancy lawyers and contacts in all the right places and taken my daughter from me.

It’s that very fact which is stopping me from agreeing to Preston’s request. I can’t forgive them for using Marcus’s death to try to take her from me. Even if I’m magnanimous and accept they had Isla’s best interests at heart, it still cuts me deeply. At least I never got an invite to Marcus’s funeral, so I didn’t have to decline. It’s one more piece of evidence to show how irrelevant they found me, yet somehow, I’m expected to be the forgiving one.

Our food arrives. I cut up Isla’s into small pieces and hand her a fork.

“Where’ve you been all week?” Christian directs his question to Saskia, one eyebrow raised.

Saskia shrugs. “Just work stuff.”

“What work stuff?”

She glares at her brother. “What are you, my keeper? Work stuff. I don’t report to you.” When her omelet arrives, she picks up her fork and cuts off a slice. “Got a problem, ask Dad.”

“Ooh, testy.”

“If you don’t quit harping on at me, you’ll be one ‘testy’ short. Got it?”

Grace snuffs a laugh. “Please leave him intact. I could need both if we’re ever to have kids.”

Saskia grunts. “Fine, but only for you, Grace.”

“I’m feeling attacked.” Christian grins, clearly unbothered by his sister’s threats.

“Then, stop being an a-hole.”

Tobias wanders in, choosing the chair on Isla’s right-hand side. “He can’t. It’s ingrained since birth.”

Christian throws his hands out to the side. “And the great pile-on begins.”

Food forgotten, Isla climbs off her chair and holds out her arms to Tobias. He reaches down and lifts her onto his lap as though he’s been doing it her entire life. Pulling her plate toward him, he hands her a fork, and she digs in. While he’s busy with Isla, I study his face. He appears edgy, distracted. He must sense me looking because he twists his head. His smile is strained, and there’s dark circles beneath his eyes.

The banter between Tobias and his brother continues throughout breakfast. Eventually, everyone drifts off, leaving the three of us behind.

As soon as it’s just us, Tobias’s shoulders drop and he sighs.