“You’re not thinking big enough,” I tell Luca. “I didn’t at first, either. But the recording was made about two years ago, right?”
“So?”
“So it was sent to Noah last month.”
“Which means this Cyrus fucker sat on it for nearly two years—until you showed up in his life again.” Luca’s brow furrows.
“Yeah,” Jack gives me a glance that says I’ll take it from here before continuing, “Which means Eaton Hotels have been gathering information about their guests for years.”
“You got a guest room?” Luca asks me. “I think I’m giving up my Platinum Elite privileges with the Eaton hotel chain.”
“It’s just sitting somewhere, waiting to become useful. Can you imagine how valuable that information is?” Jack asks neither of us in particular.
“It’s not as valuable as it is dangerous.” Six months ago, I would have thought about the dollar value, too. But that’s what I’m figuring out about having things you can’t afford to lose: it changes the math.
“It’s pretty powerful leverage. Enough to get Sutton back, and maybe enough to get the Bratva off our backs,” Jack says.
“We’re going to steal it, aren’t we?” Luca says, the devil’s own grin lighting his dark features, adding quickly, “And get your sister back.”
“No. You’re going to steal it,” I correct him. “I’m going to make sure Cyrus can never hurt anyone I love again.”
“Fine,” growls Luca, beginning to unscrew his silencer. “But shoot him once from me, okay?”
19
Adair
Staying put is no longer an option, no matter what I promised Sterling. He has his enemies to deal with, and I have mine.
I keep replaying the moment Ginny told me my father was dying in my head after Malcolm leaves, no longer able to concentrate on my mother’s manuscript. It worked because Ginny wasn’t lying. Not then. Felix even confirmed it later that night. Cancer had taken root, rotting him from the inside out, despite all the money and all the doctors. And then the cancer spread until it was untreatable, spreading past the confines of his body to infect his business, his household, and, of course, his family. By the time, I realized it had reached me, it was too late.
I wouldn’t make that mistake again.
Shoving my mother’s manuscript into a desk drawer, I toss my phone into my bag and scrawl a hastily written note to Trish. I’m out the door a few minutes later. On my way to my car, I flip through my mental calendar. I promised Sterling I would let him handle things. We’d both agreed to go about this through the right channels, so we’d never risk losing Ellie again. I’m going to keep that promise, but I’m not going to let my brother rewrite history. Not anymore. I’ve let them control the situation far too long.
Ginny’s idea of mothering involves a small army of nannies and over-scheduling. I think she’s convinced herself that if she drives Ellie to dance classes and gymnastics and preschool and then dumps her on someone else, she’s done her part. She’s so obsessed that I’ve never even been allowed to pick Ellie up from a single lesson. Now I’m beginning to realize, it’s not just about the role she’s hiding behind, it’s about keeping me in my place.
Shame. Regret. Helplessness. I’d been so weighed down by them for years that I’d started to believe they were right—that I wasn’t enough and I never would be. I’d boxed up the memories of what happened years ago and tucked them somewhere dark and deep—a place I wouldn’t go looking for too often. Telling Sterling, forced me to return there. Confronting Malcolm, opened the box, and now that it’s open, I can’t keep myself from what's inside.
Winter five years ago
Traveling with an infant is a nightmare. Traveling with an infant this close to Christmas is worse.
The flight from London to Nashville was considerably less comfortable than any other I’d taken in my life. Angus MacLaine made good on his promise to cut me off entirely, even after I announced I’d be bringing the baby to live in Tennessee. Thankfully, Ginny kept her promise as well, helping me get a ticket to fly back. She’d convinced me to take her help rather than ask Poppy. I guess for the first time someone in my family is looking out for me, and now I can come clean to Poppy in person. I can’t imagine telling my best friend that I ran away to London to have a baby over