Amabella is next to Dad on the couch, holding her phone up with Killian on a video call, being in theHamptons. “Will someone explain why I had to wake up for this?” he asks.
“I’m waiting for Tyler to arrive first,” I tell him.
“I couldn’t get in contact with Tyler,” Dan says, occupying an armchair with Ally on his lap. “I left him a message but he’s probably sleeping.”
Harper gasps, her eyes panicked on me. “What if Gregor already got to him?”
“Gregor?” Dan repeats. “What are you talking about?”
“He’ll be fine.” I stroke Harper’s arm then turn to the family, deciding to get this announcement over with. “An issue from the past has arisen. Eight years ago, a man named Paul Ferguson attacked Harper?—”
“Felix, don’t speak another word.” Dad rises from the couch with a firm warning, but I don’t listen. With the danger everyone is in, they deserve the truth.
“I killed him out of rage for attacking Harper. The murder wasn’t intentional. I didn’t realize I killed him till days later. We hid the evidence. I thought we’d been successful at burying the past. But the man’s brother has discovered the truth and tracked me down.”
The living room is filled with stunned silence and shocked faces, all but for my father shaking his head, red with rage that I’ve shared a truth he worked so hard to conceal.
“The man’s name is Mitchel Gregor. He held me and Harper at gunpoint tonight. He’s a cop but seems to have no care for the law. All he wants is revenge for Paul’s death, which means killing me, along with everyone I care about.”
Dan slides Ally off his lap and shoots to his feet, fuming at me. “What the fuck, Felix? You’re telling me some psycho wants to kill Ally?”
“I’m hiring security for each of you. No one is getting killed.”
Ally tugs on Dan’s arm. Her face is pinched with fear. “Dan, calm down.”
“How am I supposed to calm down when your life is in danger? Fuck, Felix.” I’veneverseen Dan this angered, especially not at me. “Ally and I are getting married soon. We can’t have a wedding under these circumstances. When I marry Ally, I don’t want to be fretting over the safety of my wife. The day is supposed to be about nothing but me and Ally.”
He’s not the only aggravated person in the room. Killian is demanding answers from the video call.
Amabella is glaring at my father. “Felix saidwe hid the evidence. Who exactly iswe?”
Dad scrubs a hand over his brow. “I took necessary measures to protect my family. Felix is my son. I wasn’t going to let him go to prison. I willalwaysdo whatever it takes to protect you all.”
“How could you have kept a secret of this magnitude from me? I’m your wife. You have alotof explaining to do.” Amabella storms out of the living room, calling back to Dad, “You and me in the office,now.”
Before following her, he nods to me, surprisingly not angered but in action mode. “Son, we’ll discuss this once I’ve calmed down Amabella. You’ve done the right thing warning us. We need to get in contact with Tyler.”
“I’m on it.” I pull out my phone. Tyler is the lastperson I want to speak with, but if there’s one person who can get him to answer his phone at this hour, I know it’s me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
TYLER
Dan’s phone call woke me up an hour ago. Being in a deep sleep, I didn’t answer in time. All Dan left me with was some cryptic message about a family emergency and that I needed to get to Dad’s place immediately.
All throughout the drive here, I assumed this emergency was a family meeting regarding the scandal of Felix and Harper’s relationship, and that I need to be coached on how to address the topic when questioned by the media.
But now Felix is calling me.
My heart pounds, fearing the worst. This isn’t about the Blackwood reputation or Forever Families. If Felix is calling me, someone is in hospital or there’s been a death in the family.
I don’t bother answering, having just arrived at the family home. As soon as I step into the living room and see Harper’s worried face, I have confirmation something is terribly wrong. Felix is with her, the two of them by the window. I don’t know where everyone else is.
“Harper, what’s happened?”
Her eyes flick to me. A sob of relief leaves her. She takes a step to me but stops herself, remaining beside Felix.
“Go to him,” Felix murmurs.
