Chapter 16

He arranged everything in advance. Eleanor was on Vivienne. He flew to Miami. He had a body double in his car.

Halfway down the coast road, the car was ambushed.

Within minutes Sebastian's own security had the attackers on the ground and the police rolling in. Evidence traced back cleanly to Gregory Thorne. Attempted murder for hire.

Killian and Gregory were booked.

Sebastian visited. "I didn't expect you to be this reckless. A waste."

Killian shot to his feet, white. "Harrington. You set this up."

"I didn't set anything up. You walked into it on your own."

Killian's stare could have killed him ten times over. Sebastian kept his expression pleasant.

"By the way. Thorne Industries is under SEC investigation. You should probably take a seat."

Gregory's face went sickly green. He lowered his voice, begging. "Killian—don't. Mr. Harrington, whatever you need. Anything. Say the word."

Killian exploded. "Dad, you're begging him?"

"Shut up. This is entirely your fault. The Thornes are finished because of you."

Sebastian smiled, and it was not a smile. "I'm afraid not. You weren't exactly merciful when you planned my death."

Gregory started yelling. Sebastian had stopped listening.

Later, Killian—finally clear-headed—tried one last stunt and smuggled a letter out asking Vivienne to come see him. That was how she found out.

She didn't speak to Sebastian for three days.

When he walked in on the fourth morning she stood up and walked past him. He caught her around the waist. "Vivi. Let me explain."

She glanced at him, unimpressed.

"Love. I'm sorry. I was scared the stress would hurt the baby. They weren't worth bringing to you."

"So you still don't think you did anything wrong."

She shook him off and started to leave. He caught her again. "Vivi. I'm happy."

"You're what?"

"Vivi. You're worried about me. I love it. But, love—I'd gotten the tip. I went in prepared."

Her breath caught. Her voice tightened. "Anything can go wrong. If you'd been in real trouble, nobody could have helped you."

He stared at her for a second, and then smiled. "Vivi. I get it. I did tell my parents. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to scare you."

He went down on his heels in front of her, laid her hand against his cheek, and looked up with the softest expression she had ever seen on him.

"Vivi. Forgive me. I was reckless with you."

"Vivi. Please."

He promised. "Never again. No more secrets. No matter what happens."

She forgave him.

Soon after, she went into labor a day earlier than scheduled. The delivery was hard. She was in pain for hours. Sebastian sat outside the OR and listened to her cry out and quietly cracked every knuckle in his hand. If he could have taken her place he would have. He couldn't. He sat there anyway.

Aurora Harrington was born the next morning. Sebastian was at Vivienne's bedside before anyone else, holding her hand. "I'm right here."

She smiled faintly and let her eyes close.

The baby was called Aurora for the dawn light—for Sebastian and for her, and for the bright, quiet morning. Eleanor and Arthur took her in. Vivienne checked into a postpartum recovery center to heal properly.

Months later, Arthur leaned on Sebastian. "Go. Take your wife and travel. You're young. Enjoy her. We've got the baby."

Eleanor carried Aurora over. Aurora had her parents' best features in miniature. Vivienne couldn't help laughing and tickled her cheek. Aurora snapped at her little finger like a shark. Vivienne yanked her hand back, skin prickling. Eleanor laughed. "She's hungry again. Look how she's grown."

"She was so tiny in the photo," Vivienne said softly.

After that, she did not attempt any more finger-giving. And then Sebastian whisked her away and they traveled the world for a few years, sending home videos when they missed the baby. They came back every Christmas.

The consequence was that Aurora was essentially a stranger to them when they finally settled back in. Vivienne picked her up hesitantly. Eleanor pinched Aurora's cheek. "Say hi to Mommy."

Aurora, not at all shy, squirmed cheerfully. Guilty, Vivienne and Sebastian stopped traveling. They stayed in. They built a life.

On a crisp fall afternoon they went to the photographer's studio and had a proper family portrait taken, framed it and hung it over the mantel in the great room. Arthur and Eleanor cooed over it every time they walked past. Aurora, oblivious, banged blocks together on the rug.

Sebastian laced his fingers with Vivienne's. "Vivi. You are the luckiest thing that ever happened to me."

She looked at him and smiled. "Same."

If she had not left, she would never have found him. When she looked back now, every terrible thing had the shape of a road that had only ever led here. She thanked something, she wasn't sure what, for letting her have Sebastian Harrington.