barely glanced at it, surprised that his act actually troubled me, enough so my pulse had increased. “You are correct.” There were no other words to be said, nothing that would make a difference in this case.
If he’d expected me to ask him to stay, he certainly didn’t show it. “I will have all your documents transferred to you. If I may, I’m going to give you a last piece of advice.”
I knew better than to try to stop him. “Go ahead.”
“Don’t go back to Ireland under any circumstances.”
“Why would that be, Jefferson? Did you make it a point to talk to the authorities, or perhaps Christina’s parents?”
He inched closer. “I did talk with the authorities. There is some discussion about reopening the case. They have what they call a new regime. They refused to tell me anything else.”
“Interesting, just out of the blue.”
“Did you ever stop to think that whoever is determined to destroy you is not only attempting to do so with your business but also with your personal life?”
I thought about what he was saying. Given the charges were merely dropped and there was no statute of limitations on various degrees of homicide, the situation was entirely possible. “That may be true, Jefferson, but it would have to be someone who knew me.”
“Or who’d been given keys to your kingdom,” he stated defiantly. “You believe yourself to be a cautious man, but there are holes in your system, which is how Luis was able to steal information from you. Imagine what it means now that your entire past has been revealed. A feeding frenzy.”
“That much I’ve already gathered,” I snarled. “You know me well enough, my old friend. I will hunt down whoever is responsible, and they will pay for attempting to harm me.”
“That’s already been done, Gabriel. Keep something in mind. Things aren’t always as they seem. What I found in Ireland were two things I’d been hoping for.”
The dangled carrot almost pissed me off. “And what were they, Jefferson?”
“First was a loving family who gives a damn about you. I think you need to let the past go or you’ll never get out of the prison you’ve placed yourself in.”
“And the second?”
This time, his smile was smug. “Answers I was looking for.”
While his cryptic words were meant as bait, I refused to latch on. “You’ve said your piece. I have things to do.”
Jefferson finally looked hurt, his expression turning stoic. “Have it your way, Gabriel. I hope you don’t end up a bitter and lonely man. I believe in your innocence as well as your capability of coming out of your father’s brutal shadow.” He turned sharply, taking long strides to the door. When he stopped, shifting until I could see his face, I could see tears in his eyes as he pointed to the envelope. “I hope you can find your soul. I’ve given you a gift, one I hope you will use wisely. Call it your wedding present.”
He closed the door with a hard thud, leaving me entirely alone. I glanced at the envelope for a full five minutes before opening it. The resignation letter was exactly what I would have expected from him, no bullshit. What I found in the other portion was enough to stun me.
Somehow, he’d managed through his various connections to learn that Bobby’s killer had been found, a drug deal gone bad. There was also no follow-up on reversing Judge Taylor’s ruling, the Rivers family in no position to continue the process.
Alessandra would remain in my... custody.
The swell of emotions was overwhelming, sucking away my energy and my air. I clawed at my neck, my mind reeling. What the hell was I missing?
My legs shaking, I eased down onto the chair, struggling to breathe, a flood of memories with Jefferson entering my mind. He had cared.
As I lowered my head into my hands, the sound of a text coming in raised the hairs on the back of my neck.
We’re just beginning...
Chapter Seventeen
Alessandra
Obsession.
Gabriel’s obsession for me had only increased, his desires and needs consuming him to the point I feared madness. Perhaps because I was the only thing in his life he could control. He’d only allowed me into certain discussions involving his work, but it was easy to glean from the few conversations that Masters Enterprises was suffering.
At least in America.
I was grateful his brother had remained, Liam very much the light where Gabriel was the darkness. Together, they worked tirelessly to repair the company’s reputation, although I