Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 128980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
“I won’t turn her against you. You’ve done that yourself,” Jake says quietly.
“What?” I push, looking between them.
“I made a poor decision that gave them ammunition against me,” Dad mumbles, defeated.
“Poor decision?” I ask, looking up at Jake when he moves in and places himself next to me. Why do I get the impression that he’s got so close because he thinks I might need the support?
“There are some photographs.” Dad sighs, his body squirming with discomfort. “Some compromising photographs.”
“Of what?” I look around me to the other people in the room, noticing Jake looks uncomfortable; Lucinda, too. TJ looks totally bewildered.
“Me. And a woman.” He’s holding back. The sweat on his forehead and his refusal to look at me are making it obvious.
“What woman?” I grate, my anger working up without the need for the whole truth.
“A young woman.”
“Just tell me!” I scream, batting Jake away when he tries to calm me down. “Stop fucking about and tell me!”
“She was fifteen,” he whispers, ashamed. “I didn’t know!”
TJ gasps, looking at his hero with disgust, and I fold.
“I was being blackmailed. It ran away with me. I thought I could handle it on my own. I got Sharp in to protect you. That’s all that mattered, my little star! Your safety! He started digging, getting closer to the truth. I didn’t want anyone to know!”
And there we have it. I was all that mattered? My safety? Then why the fuck did he call Jake off? He’s a joke! All he cares about is his reputation. His business and his money. “I need to go.” I look up to Jake, making sure he sees my desperation. I’ve heard enough. “Please,” I beg. He knew. Jake knew, but I can’t be mad with him. I can’t hold him responsible for keeping me in the dark. He was protecting me. Even now, after everything my father has put us through, he didn’t want me to have the extended burden of my father’s shameful exploits.
Jake nods, but is distracted from coming to me when a phone starts ringing. He frowns and rummages through his pocket, pulling out a cheap, unfamiliar phone. “Unknown number,” he says, looking up at Lucinda.
“Not for long.” She takes the phone and accepts the call, but she says nothing, indicating with a held-up finger that everyone should remain quiet. She listens. And listens, and then she smiles, mouthing Russian accent to Jake. She hurries over to her laptop and plugs the phone in, holding up a silencing hand.
Jake opens the door and motions everyone out of the office, leaving Lucinda to it. Once he’s closed the door, he strides past my father and lifts me so my legs wrap around his waist, then walks down the corridor toward the elevator, not even faltering when my father is suddenly at our side, trying to pull me away. He fails. My grip on Jake is as tight as his on me. He shakes my dad off with ease and determination as I cling onto him like he’s all I have. Because I feel like he is.
Strong.
Dependable.
My protector.
Chapter 35
JAKE
It was too late to save Logan. I didn’t want Cami to know the depths of his betrayal, but in the end I was powerless to stop it. He’d gone too far. I wanted to protect her from the hurt, but I also wanted to protect her from him.
Logan was beyond help. The man who’s always been pissed-up on power was powerless. He was finished. Those pictures were never going to go away, not for all the money or contacts in the world.
Lucinda traced the call from the disposable phone I retrieved from Scott’s body to a townhouse in North London. They found Vladimir Sochinsky and Logan’s first wife, TJ’s mum, and a mountain of evidence that will put them away for a long time, including details that matched the Swiss account mentioned in the messages to Logan. His first wife was broke. Logan didn’t have much to give, back when they’d divorced, and the bitterness, her lost son, and Logan’s obscene wealth today made a very tempting proposition for a twisted woman. She felt wronged, good for an heir and nothing more. Logan had always had it coming.
I virtually carried Camille to hospital to have her checked out, even after she refused to go. That knife. I shudder every time I think of it: filthy and cutting into my girl’s flesh. She sulked, but she didn’t try to stop me. Not even when the police turned up. Watching my angel relay every moment of her time in captivity was the worst few hours of my life. Her strength and conviction staggered me. She’s a fighter. My little fighter.
Her mother showed up, large as life, shouting orders to staff left, right, and center. Her mother. Oh, her mother. Endearing but testing. She has basked in the glory of being the only one of Logan’s wives’ that hasn’t turned on him. A ridiculous thing to be proud of, since I know for sure she’d love nothing more than to kick him in the balls and finish him off. The fact that her spousal payments might cease seems inconsequential, however. She’d rather have Logan’s arse on a plate than his money.