His Son. Her Secret.

Chapter 23

Beth was going to get caught any second now, and she had no one to blame but herself.

Well, at least when it happened, she wouldn't have to endure the hideous heap of scrap metal she was in. Was it possible to hate an inanimate object? Yes. Yes, it was because Beth hated the car she was currently seated in with a passion.

It was hard not to. The damn thing gulped down fuel like an alcoholic with their first bottle. And just like an addict, it was never enough. Then came the features; the driver’s seat’s springs dug into her back, never allowing her to relax her posture.

The air conditioner only worked when it felt generous. The dashboard had a c***k running through it like a bolt of lightning, and then there was the smell. The entire car was haunted by the previous owner’s love for cigarettes, and no matter how many times they sprayed and cleaned the interior, it never faded.

Hence, they rarely used the vehicle. That and given their extracurricular activities, they never wanted anything that could be traced back to them near a job. Which made what she was doing that much more stupid.

Beth was parked half a block down from Santiago Burns’ estate. She’d already been there half an hour and had chastised herself repeatedly for what she was doing. Yet she hadn’t left.

Dressed in her usual black, which, if she was honest, made her stand out more than blend in, Beth had on a pair of sunglasses. Again, she was sure it made her stand out, especially since the sky was gray and there was no sunshine to explain her wardrobe choices. But she couldn’t exactly show her face in a bright pink dress when she was stalking a billionaire.

Beth stared at the mansion gates through the windshield. The last time she was here to return Kaleth, Beth had sneaked onto the grounds through the trees that bordered a small stream and never bothered with the front of the property.

That wasn’t an option today. Firstly, because it was broad daylight, and secondly, because Beth had caught sight of a massive dog the size of a small horse. It seemed security had been upgraded with the addition of sharp teeth. Not cool.

So, Beth was in a smelly car she would rather not be in, cuddling a paper cup of cold coffee between her hands. And she watched. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Kaleth or Santiago. Was it insane? Yes. But she didn’t drive away.

Guards walked around the property. Two black SUVs were parked in front of the house. Every time she thought she caught movement at the door, her pulse jumped.

Right then, one of the guards stepped away from the small security building at the gate, along the fence in her direction. Beth immediately ducked lower in her seat before realizing how ridiculous she looked, especially since the man only appeared to be taking a smoke.

“What am I doing?” she muttered under her breath.

She had asked herself that same question at least twenty times already. Not that she was closer to an answer. Part of her brain tried to convince her that she was only there to make sure Kaleth was okay. That was all. Once she saw the kid safe, she would leave. Simple.

Then, as though the universe decided she needed a panic attack, a smaller dark SUV rolled slowly past her parked car. Beth stiffened instantly. Her hand moved toward the ignition, but the SUV kept driving.

Teeth clenched hard, Beth watched until the vehicle disappeared around the corner. Then she checked her rearview and side mirrors, her nerves now frantic, her stomach tight.

That was the other thing. Ever since the incident outside Blue Petals’ head office, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The memory of that shadowy figure near the alley still crawled beneath her skin. Sometimes she convinced herself she imagined it. Other times, she wasn’t so sure.

She let out a shaky breath and leaned back again. “This is stupid,” she whispered. And yet she didn’t turn the ignition and drive off like she knew she should. Not even when the minutes dragged by.

Everything was painfully normal on this side of the city, unlike where she lived with her friends. A woman jogged past the estate with headphones on and a tiny dog on a leash. A delivery van stopped at the neighboring house. And on the Burns’ property, security moved about like programmed robots.

Beth shifted in her seat. Arg! Her legs hurt from sitting still for so long. Maybe it was time to call it quits before the others began to wonder where she’d gone. But before she could think too hard about it, movement near the mansion’s front door caught her eye.

The doors began to open. Beth straightened immediately, adrenaline spiking in her veins. Then she realized that the two SUVs that had been parked close to the house were moving. Her heartbeat climbed. This was it.

It took a beat, then she saw him. Santiago stepped out of the house carrying Kaleth against his chest. Beth sucked in a breath. Everything inside her went still. Suddenly, she wasn’t sure how to feel. She’d been packed out there for almost an hour, waiting for a glimpse of the child to reassure her he was fine. But now that she saw him, Beth wasn’t sure a mere glimpse would be enough. She couldn’t take her eyes off them. And what a sight they made.

Not surprisingly, Santiago was in a suit and looked as though he was about to walk into a board meeting. On the other hand, Kaleth wore black pants, a white shirt, and the cutest tiny dark jacket she’d ever seen. Right then, his curls bounced as he laughed at something Santiago said.

Of course, the sound didn’t reach Beth across the distance, but she could see it. See the pure happiness on his face. He looked like a child without a worry in the world, confident in the knowledge that he was safe in his father’s arms.

Even as Beth watched, Santiago shifted the boy higher, one arm securely around him while the other adjusted the child’s jacket zipper beneath his chin. The movement looked natural. Protective.

One of the guards opened the SUV door, but Santiago didn’t immediately put Kaleth inside. Instead, he pressed a quick kiss against the side of his head.

Beth swallowed hard. She suddenly understood why the k********g had nearly broken the man. It was because Santiago genuinely loved his son. It wasn’t for appearances. He wasn’t like her father.

Her chest tightened unexpectedly. Beth didn’t think Jack had ever kissed her forehead or shown any genuine affection toward her. Not once in her life.

A horn blaring somewhere behind her snapped Beth from the thought. She blinked hard and quickly looked away from the estate before anyone noticed her staring. Which was just as well because the SUVs were moving.

Slowly sinking lower into her seat, her body remained frozen long after the SUVs disappeared through the gate.

She should leave now. She had seen what she came to see. Kaleth was safe. That should have been enough. Instead, Beth found herself starting the engine and heading in the same direction the vehicles had gone.

“Just until they get where they’re going,” she told herself. The lie sounded weak even to her own ears.

Forty minutes later, the SUVs entered the business district, where glass towers climbed into the sky like polished knives. Beth was just two cars behind them.

Mouth dry, Beth parked across the street near a boutique and lowered herself into her seat again, even as the convoy disappeared into the underground parking. Again, her nerves screamed at her to leave. Instead, she stayed and watched the building entrance.

Several beats passed. Beth barely registered the employees who moved in and out of the lobby constantly, but it wasn’t so easy to ignore the security. They made her nervous, even though none of them knew she was there.

Then, there was movement inside the lobby. A shift in the way the security personnel stood. Subconsciously, Beth leaned forward, too desperate to see them again to be cautious. And when she did, relief washed through her so suddenly it almost made her dizzy.

Santiago stood inside the lobby holding the child on one arm while talking to a beautiful woman dressed in a gray skirt and white blouse. The woman had to be an employee with how well put together she appeared, but that little detail didn’t appease Beth when she realized Kaleth was smiling at her.

Beth felt something painful twist quietly inside her chest, and her hands curled around the steering wheel so hard the old leather creaked.

Then, suddenly, Kaleth looked toward the windows. Beth’s breath caught. He was looking directly at her, and for a second, the toddler’s face brightened as though he could see her. Beth’s heart skipped a beat.

She knew it was very unlikely, but she couldn’t help the joy it gave. That was until panic set in, and she realized how bad it would be if Santiago saw her and made the connection. Her heart now beating as though it was attempting to escape her chest, she reached for the ignition.

She needed to leave. Now.

Not daring to waste a second, Beth started the car and pulled away from the curb. As she turned at the intersection, something made her glance into the side mirror, and her gaze immediately landed on the dark vehicle parked three spaces from the spot she’d occupied.

Beth frowned because she was certain it was the same SUV that had driven past her car while she’d been parked outside Santiago’s house.

Ice-cold fear made her shudder. Beth gripped the steering wheel harder. What the hell? Apparently, she wasn’t the only one watching Santiago Burns.