Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“You know what’s interesting?” I ask. “I think there’s a part of you that actually believes that.”
He glares at me. “I believe it because it’s the truth. You think I wanted to see my son go to prison? What father would want that?”
“I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just looking at what’s before my eyes. And quite frankly? I think you just got away with arranging a murder on your property. Funny how it went away so quickly this time. But eight years ago, it didn’t.”
“You say you’re not my enemy,” he says. “That’s not how you’re talking.”
I hold up a hand. “I’m not your enemy, Austin. But I’m looking for the truth. Raven’s safety is paramount to me. More important than anything. As important as my mother and sister, and honestly? Maybe even more so. I know I can’t be with her. That we can’t have a life together, but I will do everything I can to keep her safe.”
“Then we have the same goal.”
“I believe we do.” I rise again, leering over the desk at him. “So here’s my question to you. Why Brick Latham? Why was he a threat to Raven?”
He crosses his arms. “I don’t owe you any explanations.”
“You don’t. That’s true. But if I’m going to see to Raven’s protection, I need to know everything you do.”
“Falcon hired her a tank of a bodyguard.” He looks me up and down. “I don’t think she needs your protection.”
“Trust me. She needs my protection.”
“Why?” He squints at me. “Unless you know something I don’t.”
“Only that my grandfather knows how I feel about her. That puts her in a bad place. He’ll try to use her as leverage against me. I can’t allow that to happen. Somehow I have to convince him that I have no feelings for Raven. Which of course means I have to stay away from her. In the meantime, though, you can’t use her like that. You can’t send an Uber driver to basically kidnap her and tell her to do something. To keep me occupied.”
He doesn’t respond.
“I see you’re not denying it.”
He blinks. “There’s nothing to deny.”
“So I’ll ask you again. Are you having all of your children watched? Or only Raven?”
He draws in a breath and lets it out slowly. I know the gesture. He’s trying to figure out how to play this. I’m on to him, and he knows it.
Finally, he speaks. “All of them. Since Falcon got put away.”
I stop my jaw from dropping. “You’ve been having your children watched for the last eight years?”
“Why wouldn’t I? I couldn’t risk any of them getting into trouble like he did. It all could’ve been prevented if I had known what was going on.”
“And tell me this.” I walk to the other side of the desk, squatting down to his eye level. “Did you want Falcon in prison?”
He looks away from me. “Whether I wanted him in prison or not is irrelevant. That’s where he had to be. It was the only way I could keep the story contained. I didn’t want my son branded as a cop killer. I didn’t want every tabloid in the free world descending on this ranch. I know damned well Falcon didn’t pull that trigger.”
“Do you know who did?”
He frowns. “I have my suspicions.”
“I see.”
Then he does a double take. “Wait. Do you know?”
33
RAVEN
I look up when an older man and a young girl walk in to the waiting area. The man is dressed to the nines in a designer suit. The girl is dressed in a pretty blue party dress, complete with lacy ankle socks and patent-leather shoes.
“Caroline Gallo?” The man asks the volunteer on duty.
“Are you family?”
“Friends.”
The volunteer frowns. “Then I’m afraid I can’t help you. But that’s her son-in-law over there. He may be able to help you.” She gestures to where Falcon, Jared, and I are seated.
Falcon’s jaw drops.
He rises, walks over to the man. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”
“Oh, Mr. Bellamy.” When he smiles, he looks like a snake. “I see you’re faring well.”
“You need to get the fuck out of here now.”
He narrows his venomous gaze at Falcon. “I’ll thank you to watch your language in front of my daughter.”
“Shut up.”
“I’d like to know how your future mother-in-law is doing.” He scans the room. “I believe Savannah’s grandfather is here?”
I don’t like where this is going. I walk toward them. “Hello,” I say to the girl. “My name is Raven. What’s yours?”
“Belinda.”
I stop myself from throwing my hand over my mouth. Oh my God. This must be Declan McAllister and his daughter Belinda. This little girl is Vinnie’s intended.
But my God… She’s just a little girl. She looks like she’s going to an afternoon tea party or something.
“Are you thirsty? We could go get a drink.” I look up at the man who must be Declan McAllister. “If it’s okay with you, sir.”