My intercom buzzed again, and I tried to collect my thoughts, going back to my desk to push down on the button.
“Yes, Penelope?” Penelope was my assistant.
Her chipper voice sounded through the receiver. “You have a delivery from…”
I didn’t need her to complete it. I knew exactly who it was from. Dimitri Ravencrest.
Sighing, I fell into my seat. “Send it up.” And ended the call.
Since Dimitri found out about Adele—which was barely forty-eight hours ago—he’d been sending gifts. Toys, books, stuffed animals. A few came with a note. Others just came with a tag from him.
I’d ignored his calls since then. Not just because I didn’t want Adele getting dragged into the complications of our life and his pack, but also because I’d been having wet dreams about the man since he nearly attempted to kiss me. And I’d nearly wanted to give in to the kiss, too.
Thank God for that call. Otherwise, we would have crossed a line I wasn’t ready to.
The door to my office opened, and in walked Penelope, carrying a box of chocolates and a plush dragon the size of a toddler, emerald green with golden eyes and tiny embroidered wings.
“The investors just rescheduled the meeting for tomorrow, so you have the rest of the afternoon off, Estelle.”
That should have been good news. But given the circumstances—my wet daydreams—I wanted to keep busy.
“Thank you, Penelope,” I said.
After she exited the office, I opened the box of chocolates. It was a variety—dairy milk, Snickers, Toblerone. A smile formed on my lips. I could already picture Adele grinning from ear to ear when I give her the chocolate.
I usually gave her the gifts he sent and made sure to tell her they were from him. I didn’t know why, but it just felt like the right thing to do.
My intercom buzzed again.
“Estelle, you have a delivery—”
“No, that’s it.” I snapped. “That’s enough deliveries in one day. Send him back and tell him to make sure to tell Mr. Ravencrest that I do not want any more gifts for me or formy daughter!”
“But these aren’t from Mr. Ravencrest…” There was something in her voice. Panic. Fear. Both.
“It’s from an unknown sender.”
My brows drew together. “Send it in.”
A few seconds later, Penelope burst into my office, her hands visibly shaking, her eyes filled with horror.
“What?” I shot up. “What is it?”
She dropped the box on my desk, thrusting the opened envelope toward me. All the color drained from my face when I saw what it was—a picture of Adele and me smeared with a message written in what I suspected to be blood.
Blood never lies. A homewrecker begets another. A bastard child is always the result.
I dropped the note like it burned. The horror on my face mirrored that of my assistant.
“What’s in the box?”
“I-I don’t know. I couldn’t check.”
I opened the box, fully expecting the worst, but when I saw what was inside, I stumbled back in utter shock.
It was a heart. A real animal heart covered in blood. Penelope retched, clutching her stomach.
“Have security track down the delivery man right now!” I said, and she scurried out of my office. “And have them come take away this nonsense!” I called after her.