She stood up and nced at Lorna. "Ms. Riley, would you mind waiting here for a moment? I''ll go upstairs and help little Mario pack his things."


    "That won''t be necessary, Ms. Kensington," Lorna replied. "Stewart isn''t going to restrict Mario from seeing you. If he misses you, we''ll bring him over to stay for a few days. So you can leave his things here for now."


    Briony nodded calmly. "Alright."


    "Mario,e here," Lorna called, gesturing for the little boy.


    Mario obediently walked over to her side.


    Lorna ruffled his hair. "Go say goodbye to your mom, your grandparents, and your godfather."


    Mario lifted his hand and waved. "Bye, Mom. Bye, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Carney."


    After their goodbyes, the adults stood by the door, watching as Lorna led little Mario away.


    Lorna hade in Stewart''s car.


    She opened the back door. A child''s car seat was already installed.


    She lifted Mario into the seat and bent down to buckle him in securely.


    Then, shutting the door, she turned to the group standing in the doorway, nodded politely, and walked around to the driver''s side, got in, and started the car.


    The Maybach pulled away, turned, and disappeared down the drive.


    Gwendolyn White waited until the car had vanished from sight before turning to Briony.


    "This Ms. Riley seems awfully close to Stewart, doesn''t she? And Mario doesn''t seem to mind her at all."


    "As long as they''re good to Mario, that''s all that matters."


    "Oh, what a mess this all is!" Gwendolyn grumbled. "Stewart kept dragging out the divorce-I thought he cared about you. But now, the minute it''s final, he''s already got another woman lined up. And she''s clearly nning to be Mario''s new stepmom!"


    "You''ve said enough," Carney interrupted, pulling his wife aside. "Don''t you think Bryn is worried enough?"


    "I''m worried about Mario, too!" Gwendolyn protested. "Have you seen the kind of women Stewart''s been with before? I just don''t want our Mario getting hurt by someone awful!"


    "Stewart might be clueless, but he''d never let his own son be mistreated."


    "Oh, men will never understand us women!" Gwendolyn shot Carney a re, then turned and tugged Briony inside.


    Briony lingered at the doorway, staring out at the empty road, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.


    Carney shook his head and followed the others inside.


    On the drive back, Lorna and Mario were suddenly boxed in by three unmarked sedans.


    The street was secluded-just the sort of ce for trouble.


    Unfastening her seatbelt, Lorna twisted around to the backseat. "Mario, I need to talk to those men outside for a moment. You be good and wait here, okay?"


    Mario nodded solemnly.


    She set the radio to the children''s music channel and turned up the volume, then stepped out of the car and quietly shut and locked the door behind her.


    Several men in ck stepped out of the cars, advancing menacingly.


    Leaning against the car, arms crossed, Lorna sized them up and smirked. "Daylight robbery, gentlemen?"


    The leader scowled. "Is that Mr. Wentworth''s son in the car?"


    "That''s right." Lorna''s smile was mocking. "What of it?"


    "Hand the kid over."


    "Oh really? You say jump and I''m supposed to ask how high?" Sheughed. "I''d lose all self-respect if I just gave in like that."


    "Don''t me us for what happens next."


    Apparently, seeing only a woman, they didn''t take her seriously at all. The men lunged.


    Lorna''s eyes narrowed. She pulled a hairpin from her bun.


    She moved like lightning-the pin struck


    ordsessure points on their hands and legs, and in secondel


    of them were writhing on the


    ground, groaning in pain.


    Squatting down, Lorna tapped the


    leader''s cheek with her hairpin. "Go


    tell


    Our boss to quiting after


    my godson. I''m the protective type."


    ...


    Fifteen minutester, at Southcreek Manor.


    Lorna parked in the garage.


    She unbuckled Mario and set him down on the floor. "You can walk by yourself."


    The boy nced up at her, his dark eyes bright.


    Lorna caught the look and raised an eyebrow. "You saw me fighting, didn''t you?"


    Mario nodded.


    She grinned and crouched down. "Want to learn?"


    Mario''s eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly.


    "Why do you want to?"


    He frowned and thought hard, then finally managed a single word: "Cool."


    Lorna was taken aback, then burst outughing.


    She gently pinched his nose. "Kid, you''re a little robot-just like your robot dad!"


    Mario blinked, puzzled.


    Lorna straightened and led him upstairs.


    At the second floor master bedroom, just as Lorna lifted her hand to knock, the


    door swung open.


    Cedric rke stepped out, his expression grave.