Chapter 6 - The Empty Nursery
Naomi did not sleep that night.
Neither did Roman.
Jude remained under observation at the hospital, his fever holding steady but no longer climbing. Leo and Miles stayed nearby in a private family suite that had been converted into a temporary nursery.
Naomi fed them twice.
Both times Roman remained outside the curtain, close enough to hear but careful not to intrude.
That detail mattered to her.
More than she wanted it to.
Men with power often assumed access.
Roman, for all the darkness surrounding him, asked.
Or waited.
The contradiction made him difficult to place in her mind.
At three in the morning, Leo finally fell asleep against Naomi's shoulder.
She placed him in the bassinet.
Roman stood near the window.
The Washington skyline glowed faintly in the distance.
"What did Grant mean?" he asked.
Naomi didn't pretend not to understand.
"I've been trying to remember."
"That's not reassuring."
"I can't invent memories because you're impatient."
Roman looked at her.
"Fair."
Naomi sat.
"Elise asked unusual questions."
"Like?"
"Whether I had family."
Roman frowned.
"Normal conversation."
"Whether I was afraid easily."
His expression changed.
"What did you say?"
"I told her I was terrified of everything since becoming a mother."
Roman almost smiled.
"Accurate."
"Then she asked what I did when I was afraid."
"And?"
"I said I did the next necessary thing."
Roman looked toward Leo.
"The next necessary thing."
"My grandmother used to say it."
Roman waited.
Naomi continued.
"'You don't need courage for the whole road. Just enough for the next necessary thing.'"
Roman repeated the words quietly.
"Elise would've liked that."
Naomi nodded.
"She did."
"What else?"
Naomi closed her eyes.
There had been something near the end.
Elise helping her pack Micah's diaper bag.
A woman had entered the community center and called Elise by name.
Not Mrs. Vale.
Elise.
Naomi had seen fear cross her face.
Just for a second.
"Someone came looking for her."
Roman straightened.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Man or woman?"
"Woman."
"Age?"
"Forties."
"Description?"
"Dark hair. Expensive coat. She didn't belong there."
Roman reached for his phone.
"Victor."
Victor appeared within minutes.
Naomi described the woman.
Victor searched photographs.
Foundation staff.
Board members.
Vale executives.
Medical personnel.
Then he showed Naomi a picture.
A woman standing beside Dr. Grant at a charity gala.
Naomi's blood chilled.
"Her."
Roman took the tablet.
"Celeste Grant."
Naomi frowned.
"His wife?"
"Sister."
Victor's face hardened.
"Former sister-in-law."
Roman looked at him.
"What?"
"She divorced Elias's brother years ago but kept the name. She's an attorney."
"For who?"
Victor's expression became grim.
"Malcolm Kincaid."
Roman swore.
Pieces moved into place.
Elise had been followed to Baltimore.
Celeste had found her at the support center.
Elise may have panicked.
Maybe she feared the information she carried would be discovered.
So she put the flash drive somewhere nobody connected to Roman would search.
Inside Naomi's parenting book.
Then she arranged for someone to photograph Naomi's building so she could find the drive later.
But somebody else had acquired that photograph.
"What if Elise took the picture?" Naomi asked.
Roman looked at her.
"Why?"
"To remember where I lived."
Victor nodded slowly.
"Possible."
"Then Kincaid got it from her."
Roman's face darkened.
"After she died."
Naomi shivered.
Roman noticed.
"You should rest."
"So should you."
"I don't."
"Sleep?"
"Not much."
"That isn't impressive."
"I wasn't trying to impress you."
"Good."
For some reason, Roman smiled.
It changed his entire face.
Naomi immediately disliked noticing that.
The door opened.
Dr. Shah entered.
"Jude's temperature is down."
Roman stood so quickly his chair moved backward.
"Down how much?"
"99.8."
"That's good?"
"That's good."
Roman closed his eyes.
Dr. Shah continued.
"He's taking more milk. Hydration is improving. Assuming cultures remain negative, he may go home tomorrow."
Roman exhaled.
"Thank you."
"Thank Naomi."
Roman looked at her.
"I already do."
Dr. Shah left.
Naomi looked away.
Morning arrived pale and gray.
Victor returned with new information.
"Celeste Grant used her legal credentials to access Elise's foundation files three times."
"When?" Roman asked.
"The month before the crash."
Naomi frowned.
"What was she looking for?"
"Donor lists. Community center reports. Baltimore program."
"Me," Naomi said.
Victor nodded.
"Probably."
Roman paced.
"Why didn't Elise tell me?"
Victor answered carefully.
"Because she didn't trust the people around you."
That hurt.
Roman stopped.
Naomi could see the realization settling over him.
Elise had loved him.
But love had not created trust around his world.
There were too many doors.
Too many armed men.
Too many secrets.
Too many people whose loyalty was bought.
"You built a life where she couldn't tell who was safe," Naomi said quietly.
Roman looked at her.
She expected anger.
Instead, he nodded.
"I did."
The admission surprised her.
Hours later, Jude was discharged.
They returned to the estate in Virginia.
Naomi expected to leave.
She packed her small bag.
Roman found her near the entrance.
"Where are you going?"
"Home."
"No."
She sighed.
"We've covered this."
"Your apartment was searched."
"I can stay with Tessa."
"Who?"
"My friend."
"Address?"
"Absolutely not."
Roman rubbed his forehead.
"I'm not trying to control you."
"You're doing a terrible impression of someone who isn't."
He laughed softly.
"Stay forty-eight hours."
"No."
"Twenty-four."
"Roman."
"The boys need you."
That was unfair.
He knew it.
She knew it.
Naomi looked toward the nursery.
"They need feeding."
"Yes."
"Dr. Shah can arrange donor milk."
"She has."
Naomi looked back at him.
"Then you don't need me."
Roman's expression changed.
"Maybe I do."
Silence.
That was more dangerous than any threat.
Naomi folded her arms.
"You don't know me."
"I know you walked toward three screaming babies while everyone else looked away."
"That doesn't make me trustworthy."
"No."
Roman stepped closer, still leaving space between them.
"It makes you rare."
Naomi looked away.
"Forty-eight hours."
His voice softened.
"Stay until we understand why Elise involved you. Then I'll arrange anything you want."
"I don't want your money."
"I didn't say money."
"Good."
"I could buy you a publishing house."
Naomi stared.
Roman's expression remained serious.
Then she saw the faintest humor in his eyes.
"That was a joke?"
"I'm learning."
"Poorly."
"But improving."
Naomi reluctantly agreed.
"Forty-eight hours."
Roman nodded.
"Forty-eight."
The first day passed without crisis.
Jude fed well.
Donor milk was delivered.
Naomi helped the nurses introduce bottles slowly.
Leo accepted one.
Miles threw his across the nursery with surprising strength.
Roman looked proud.
"Don't encourage him," Naomi said.
"He's six weeks old."
"He can still sense approval."
"Excellent."
Naomi rolled her eyes.
Later, she wandered into the master bedroom while looking for Roman.
She stopped immediately.
Elise's things were still there.
A robe hung over a chair.
Perfume on the dresser.
A book open beside the bed.
Shoes.
A half-finished cup of dried tea Roman hadn't allowed anyone to move.
Grief everywhere.
Roman stood in the doorway behind her.
"I haven't changed anything."
Naomi nodded.
"I couldn't change Micah's sheets for a month."
Roman looked toward the bed.
"What made you?"
"The smell disappeared."
He understood.
"That's cruel."
"Yes."
Roman entered.
On the dresser was another photograph.
Elise pregnant.
Roman behind her.
His hands around her belly.
Naomi smiled.
"You looked scared."
"I was."
"Triplets."
"Doctor said the word and I asked him to repeat it four times."
Naomi laughed.
Roman picked up the photograph.
"Elise said the universe was punishing me for being controlling."
"She sounds sensible."
"She was irritating."
"You loved her."
"More than anything."
Naomi's smile faded.
"Then honor what she asked."
Roman knew what she meant.
No war.
No revenge.
He placed the photograph down.
"I'm trying."
Before Naomi could answer, a scream came from the nursery.
Not a baby.
A nurse.
Roman moved instantly.
They ran.
The nursery window was open.
A guard lay unconscious on the patio below—breathing, but hurt.
Miles and Leo were safe.
Jude's crib was empty.
Naomi's heart stopped.
Roman became perfectly still.
Too still.
Victor rushed in.
"North camera went dark for ninety seconds."
Roman turned slowly.
"Find my son."
Victor was already issuing commands.
Naomi searched wildly.
"Jude!"
Then she heard something.
A tiny noise.
Not from outside.
From the adjoining closet.
Naomi ran.
She opened the door.
One of the nurses was crouched inside, shaking violently.
Jude was in her arms.
"Someone came through the window," she whispered. "I grabbed him and hid."
Roman took his son.
His hands shook.
"Did you see who?"
The nurse nodded.
"Mask."
"Voice?"
She swallowed.
"He said something."
Roman's expression hardened.
"What?"
The nurse looked terrified.
"He said, 'Tell Roman the doctor sends his regards.'"
Roman closed his eyes.
Naomi knew exactly what he wanted to do.
She saw it in every line of his body.
Violence.
Immediate.
Absolute.
Then Jude opened his eyes.
Roman looked down.
Elise's video seemed to echo in the room.
Don't start a war.
Protect our sons.
Choose the life we talked about.
Roman kissed Jude's forehead.
When he raised his head again, his voice was calm.
"Call the federal prosecutor."
Victor stared.
"You sure?"
Roman looked at Naomi.
Then at his son.
"Yes."
For the first time in his life, Roman Vale chose evidence over revenge.
But somewhere beyond the estate walls, Elias Grant had just learned something dangerous.
Roman was changing.
May you like
And men who profited from the old Roman Vale would do anything to make sure the new one never survived.
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